Within These Walls
by Pandora449
Summary: Leonardo has kept a dark secret since he was thirteen years old. The mutagen affected him…differently. For the last 2 years he has trained in secret, but for how much longer can he control the forces inside of him which battle to break free? Will he even have a choice? Hurt Leo, sick Leo, brotherly fluff, lots of angst, super-powers, action. Alternate universe.
1. The Last Day

**Within These Walls**

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**Summary**: Leonardo has kept a dark secret since he was thirteen years old. The mutagen affected him…differently. For the last 2 years he has trained in secret, but for how much longer can he control the forces inside of him which battle to break free? Will he even have a choice? Hurt Leo, sick Leo, brotherly fluff, lots of angst, super-powers, action. Alternate universe but based off the 2012 character constructions. Some mild language.

**Author's Note**: This was just a little story that bubbled to mind. Reviews are very much welcome and appreciated :). Please click those favourite and follow buttons too.

**Disclaimer**: I sadly do not own the turtles or the concepts of the show. This fic is based on my own ideas. This will be the only disclaimer for the story but please note that it applies to the whole story.

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**Chapter** 1: The Last Day

The first time it happened was when they were thirteen years old.

It was six o'clock in the morning and as usual, the Hamato family were training in the dojo.

"Higher Leonardo," instructed Master Splinter as Leo attempted his fourth split kick, but still he missed the mark, falling awkwardly back onto the mat, on his feet but completely off balanced. He _was_ able to jump high enough, but his incorrect form was preventing him from hitting the invisible target which Master Splinter had indicated mid-air. They had been at this all morning.

Leo sighed in frustration.

To his right and kneeling in their training positions, Raph stifled a laugh whilst Mikey and Donnie scowled at him.

"What?" Raph nagged. "He clearly sucks."

Leo sent him a glare, which Raph returned with a snicker

"It's not nice to tease," Mikey said as he pouted his bottom lip.

Don nodded in agreement before addressing his red-banded brother with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, "Besides, I'd like to see you do better Raph."

Leo smiled his thanks at his little bros. They always stuck up for him against Raph, even if he didn't ask or necessarily want them to. But still, it was always nice to know that they would go against their hot headed brother for him.

Leo's smile didn't last long however, as Raph stood to tower over his brother before then storming towards him.

Leo could practically see the fire blazing in his brother's eyes.

"Fine - I will," Raphael snapped, glancing back at Don.

Leonardo looked towards his Father and the wise rat nodded, gesturing towards a spot for him to sit down next to his two younger brothers. "That is all for now, my son," his Father said before giving a slight bow which Leo returned with equal respect.

The eldest turtle sat next down next to Mikey who playfully jabbed him in the ribs over his plastron.

"Don't worry 'bout it bro," Mikey reassured, "you'll have the kick down in no time."

Leo regarded his younger brother with a sad smile. "I know Mikey, I just need to practice," he said gently, although his insides sank in disappointment, as once again, he had failed. He had been trying for the last week to perfect the kick, but had found that the move was much harder than what he had initially thought.

Mikey still was staring at him with worried eyes, so Leo returned his brother's previous gesture of kindness with equal playfulness, gently punching his brother in the arm with a closed first. "But thanks little bro."

Mikey seemed satisfied at this, his face brightening in a wide toothy grin, whilst Don leaned forward until Leo could see his face which was plastered with an expression of amusement, as his cheeks flushed red in an obvious attempt not to laugh.

Leo cocked his head towards his genius brother. "What's so funny?" he asked.

"It's just," Donnie stated, struggling to take breaths through his muffled laughter, "if you can't complete the kick, then how do you think Raph is going to go?"

Leo didn't understand. Raph was a _skilled_ ninja in training who could do anything once he put his mind to it. "I don't follow," he told Don as he glanced forward to Master Splinter and Raphael as the red turtle took his position in the dojo, legs wide apart and preparing for the jump.

Raphael's form, stance and technique looked sound and Leo scolded himself for not being able to do the kick himself. Raph was about to out-ninja him. This was going to be embarrassing.

Beside him Donnie rolled his eyes and giggled again. "C'mon Leo, we all know that Raph might have the strength but in terms of skill, you totally trump us bro."

Next to him, Mikey nodded vigorously, making Leo blush with their high regard of him.

Don continued, "So basically, Raph is about to make a massive fool of himself."

"We'll see," Leo stated simply, not able to sell his brother out just yet, but he returned his attention to the training session, eager to watch the scene unfold.

"Watch and learn Lame-o-nardo," Raph jeered, bending his legs and ready to jump at the call of Master Splinter.

Their Sensei lifted his walking stick and brought it down to the ground with a loud crack, "Haijime."

Leo watched as Raph sprang forward and instantly he saw his hot-headed brother's mistake. Raph had leaned too far forward in the jump, obviously putting too much power and brute force behind his leap, when really the manoeuvre required more skill, agility and technique than strength.

Raph let out a yelp as he flipped forward mid-air, losing his centre when he split his legs apart to hit the target. He tumbled back to the ground, landing flat on his shell.

Mikey and Don exploded in laughter, clinging on to each other and holding their sides.

"You got owned dude," Mikey joked, rocking back onto his shell to lie flat as his hysterical laugh filled the dojo.

Leo couldn't help the smirk that sneaked onto his lips. Besides, Raph was fine, sure he would have a bruise, but no harm was done.

Raph clambered off the floor, growling at Mikey and Don. "My foot slipped," he explained hurriedly, the fire returning to his eyes. "It wasn't my fault. Watch – I'm gonna do it again."

"You sure Raph?" Leo playfully asked. "Think you pretty much demonstrated everything we needed to see." Leo added in a smile to let his brother know that he only meant it as a joke, but that didn't seem to matter.

Raphael took a step towards him, fists balled and ready for a fight.

Master Splinter frowned, "That is enough Raphael. Training is over for today and I do hope that you _all_ took a lesson from this."

Leo bowed towards his Sensei whilst Mikey and Donnie also followed. Raph though, stood with his back against Master Splinter whilst Leo noticed that his face was scrunched in annoyance and his eyes were still blazing.

"This dispute is over Raphael," Master Splinted firmly stated, "I will be meditating in my room if any one of you has need of me."

The door slid shut behind Master Splinter as he left the dojo. As soon as it was closed, Raph whipped sharply towards Leo. "You think ya so perfect huh, _Fearless_?"

Leo stood silently, placing a hand on Mikey's shoulder as his youngest brother looked as though he was halfway between crying and yelling.

"What? Cat got ya tongue Leo?" Raph continued, his words layered with poison. "Or are ya now too high 'n' mighty to talk to me as well?"

"That's enough Raph. You heard Splinter – this is over," Leo said, his voice stern but calm.

"No! This time I ain't backing down. You've always thought that you're better than me. All you care about is looking good in front of Sensei! Being a perfect little student! Do you even care about us?!"

Leo knew that Raph was just trying to rile him up, but what he said hit a chord. "What?" he breathed.

"You heard me _Fearless_," Raph taunted using the nickname in plane malice rather than affection. "Ya don't give a shit about us 'cause we're all so beneath you, isn't that right? C'MON LEO – admit it!"

Behind Leo, Mikey let out a whimper and he could hear Don muttering comfort words to him.

Leo's breath hitched. He really tried to keep his anger in check, but this time Raph had gone too far.

He balled his fists and took a stance in the dojo, showing Raph that he was up for a fight.

Raph threw up his hands. "Finally! Or do you not think I'm worthy, huh?"

Leo lost it. He launched forward, slamming into Raph's plastron with a force that knocked his brother back a few paces, but not enough to make him fall. Angry and frustrated, Leo was still calculating and careful. He didn't want to hurt his brother, he would never hurt any of his brothers. But sometimes, the only language Raph spoke and understood, was that of fighting. Moves and counter moves.

Raph reacted, drawing his Sai and whipping them at Leo, advancing forward whilst slashing at Leo's arms and chest.

Leo was quick, but not quick enough, earning a gash across his cheek and a cut to his right shoulder. The injuries were only superficial, but the warm blood flowing down his cheek wasn't the best feeling – it was unsettling. Unsettling, as he had dealt with his hot headed brother before, but never with weapons drawn. This was an entirely different playing field and it was going too far.

Somewhere Donnie was screaming at them to stop and Mikey was crying, but Leo painfully blocked out the commotion as he switched from defence to offence, twisting his hips and following with a quick pivot on his feet as he crouched low and whipped his leg around to knock Raph flat on his shell, sending his Sai clattering to the ground.

Leo saw his opportunity to end the fight quickly before it got out of hand and he sprung up before Raphael even got the chance to move off the floor. With his knee, he pinned Raphael to the ground, immobilising him.

"Get off me Leo, or I swear ta God-"

"You'll do what, Raph?" Leo asked, slowly calming down, his voice returning to its normal cool and collected tone. "Hurt me? Attack me?" He could feel the blood dripping down his face and he wiped some of it away, smearing the sticky red liquid across his hand, "Yeah, you already proved that you would."

Raph looked away, avoiding looking him in the eye. Maybe because of shame. Maybe because of anger. Leo wasn't sure anymore when it came to Raph. They used to be close – best friends even. But now…the turtle pinned beneath his weight was an entirely different person. A stranger.

"I'm going to get off you now," Leo said, "you cool?"

Raphael breathed out and nodded.

Leo stood, releasing his brother from under his hold. Raphael quickly scrabbled onto his feet.

Leo then turned to face Donnie and Mikey, fearful of what they would think of him. Maybe he had acted wrongly. He shouldn't have allowed Raph to get under his shell, he shouldn't have allowed the anger to get the better of him. He shouldn't have fought back. Suddenly Leo was regretting his decisions and he looked up to face his younger brothers, bracing himself for their hateful expressions.

However, Don only smiled at him, his eyes so full of love and respect, whilst Mikey just stood with his mouth open slightly in awe with only remnants of the tears that had slid down his face.

Donatello was the first to move, breaking the silence with a change in topic, in an obvious attempt to distract their youngest brother and release some of the tension, "C'mon Mikey – lets go make breakfast."

Leo smiled his thanks to Don, who nodded in return. They tended to do that a lot – understand each other with a simple gesture. Leo found it warming how he could silently communicate with his brothers, expressing feelings which sometimes could not be put into words.

Mikey's eyes gleamed and his attention was suddenly snapped towards Donatello. "Can we make pizza? Is there such a thing as breakfast pizza? Oooo, we could put bacon, eggs and syrup on it. That would be like bacon and eggs on toast - but with pancakes! PIZZACAKES!"

Donnie frowned, but nodded. "Ahhhhhh, sure Mikey. Whatever you say."

At this, the youngest brother bounded out of the dojo, swinging his nunchucks like a maniac and making gleeful whooping noises. Leo watched on warmly as Don started to follow. His genius brother reached the door and glanced back, "You coming Leo?"

"Yeah, someone has to keep Mikey away from the chilli sauce. You remember what happened last time he made-"

"Please don't remind me," Don groaned, holding his stomach.

Leo just chuckled and placed a hand on Raph's shoulder who was standing awkwardly beside him. "How about it Raph? Want to help?"

His brother shrugged his hand off, still looking away. "I'm gonna train some more."

"Suit yourself," Leo replied, and he and Don left the dojo leaving Raph to cool off and probably take some of his anger out on the punching dummy.

Donatello turned to Leo once they were out of the dojo and earshot, taking him by the shoulders. "Are you alright?" he said, eyeing the bleeding gashes on Leo's face and arm.

Leo smiled at his brother concern. "Yeah, I'm just going to get cleaned up. You can start breakfast – I'll be out in two seconds."

Don looked at him with his impassive brown eyes, concerned and obviously weighing his response. "I should really take a look at those cuts. Without the right care, they could get infected. We do live in a sewer remember."

"I promise that I'm fine Don, they're just scrapes," Leo replied as he shrunk out from under his brother's hold, giving a nod and walking to the bathroom to wipe the blood off his skin. He looked back at Donatello, "Really, you guys start on breakfast. I'm okay."

Leo continued into the bathroom, blissfully unaware that this was the last time he would ever be _okay_.

This was the last time he would ever consider himself _normal_.

This was the day his life would change forever.

**To Be Continued…**

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**Please remember to leave a review if you liked the beginning of the story! Thanks! **


	2. A Light Switch

**Author's Note**: Hi again! Thanks for returning to 'Within these Walls' and my deepest gratitude goes to those who reviewed chapter 1 or pressed the follow/favourite buttons. You guys are awesome!

Enjoy Chapter 2!

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**Chapter 2**: A Light Switch

Leo dived, outstretching his three fingered hand and catching the delicately painted Japanese tea cup just centimetres away from where it would have shattered against the cold hard kitchen floor.

"Good save, Leo!" laughed Mikey.

Leo placed the teacup carefully on the crooked dining table, "I really think we should stop now."

Mikey in his 'kiss the cook apron' promptly picked up a plate, smiling like a child knowing that they were up to no good. He flashed his mischievous grin at Leo. "Think fast bro," he playfully warned before throwing the plate like a frisbee.

Leo wouldn't usually participate in this kind of table setting, but when his youngest brother had started to throw the cutlery and Master Spinlter's favourite china right as he had walked out of the bathroom, he hadn't had much of a choice. Besides, Mikey was having fun and that was important to him.

After the morning's fight with Raphael, Leo had to do his part in making sure that Mikey was okay. Donatello had already done his part, kindly making breakfast with Mikey. A strange aroma filled the kitchen – the alluringly smooth smell of mozzarella cheese and crusty pizza base but combined with a sickly sweet scent which made Leo's stomach church in discomfort. Leo definitely hoped that 'Pizzacakes', would be a one-off breakfast, never again to grace, or in this case disgrace, the kitchen.

But he would at least attempt to eat them if that's what it took to make Mikey happy.

And he would keep catching the china as it flew about the kitchen, to make Mike happy but also to avoid the wrath of Master Splinter, as Leo knew that there would be gruelling training sessions for weeks if even one plate or tea cup was broken.

Leo's other younger brother, Donnie, stood over the toaster observing them and Leo sprung into the air to catch the last plate, splitting his legs apart for good measure in a perfect split kick and landing on his feet once again, pride and slight disbelief filling his chest.

"Don, Mikey - did you see? I got my split kick right!"

Don gave him the double thumbs up. "Way to go Leo."

"I told ya that you would get it," Mikey teased in a sing song voice, smiling as well.

Leo beamed at him, but the expression fell into a grimace as his head suddenly gave a violent throb.

The precious china plate he was holding slipped from his hand and shattered across the ground into tiny white and pink shards. The sound split Leo's head in two.

He clenched his eyes tight and pressed a hand against his forehead, feeling as though his head was about to explode if he didn't hold it together.

The attack had come on so suddenly and only muffled could he hear Mikey calling his name in a worried voice - and somehow Donnie had moved to be in front of him.

Leo couldn't put it together though as the world began to tilt on its axis, the Lair becoming blurry with white spots dancing in his vision.

Raph's voice rang in his head, as clear as crystal. _He thinks he's so good – doesn't he?_

Leo's head gave another throb as Raph continued to rant. _Bloody Leo! Why doesn't he understand?! He used to understand! _

Leo tried to reach out to Raph, outstretching his hands, thinking that his brother was standing in front of him, but instead he collided into Donnie, clumsily falling into his brother's chest. He felt Donnie's gentle hands wrap around his waist and shell, holding him steady.

"Whoa – Leo? Leo, can you hear me?" Donnie called.

But Leo's head throbbed in systematic pain and his only capable reply was a cry that he couldn't hold back any longer. His head roared and in front of him, beside what he thought was Don's purple mask, Mikey's lips became silent, as he spoke words of encouragement and comfort which uselessly fell on Leo's deaf ears.

His head was on fire and his body ached. His knees finally buckled and Donnie took his full weight, slowly lowering him to the ground as a sense of vertigo also hit him from below. Or was it above? He couldn't tell. Everything was spinning. Vomit burned his throat, but Leo forced himself to swallow.

_He's nothing but a coward! A scared, high horsed, piece of crap! _Leo could still hear Raph and looked around for his brother, unable to locate him in the spinning room. _Why doesn't he get it? WHY?! _

Leo could feel Raph's anger surging through his body and coursing through his veins. It was painful to say the least and it felt like his mind was cracked open.

He tried to combat the thoughts invading his mind, but couldn't, only clenching his eyes tighter against the pain.

He vaguely caught Donnie yelling for Master Splinter and Raph – calling for their help.

Leo could hear Raph again._ Ohhh – so now they want my help. I swear I'm gonna kill someone if it's somethin' stupid._

Leo glanced toward the dojo's doors as they slid open with a violent crack, making his head thump harder. Louder. "Don-"

He felt Donatello grip him harder.

And then Leo screamed, violent and raw. Desperate words poured from his mouth, "Don make it stop. It hurts! AHHHHH! Raphael, no-"

Leo couldn't think. Raph was coming. Raphael was going to hurt his brothers. Ahhhggg – he couldn't think. Couldn't breathe. Raph said that he was going to kill someone. It was too much. His mind was collapsing. Breaking.

Pain.

Raphael.

Danger.

Must help.

A guttural scream tore from Leo's lips.

His mind exploded and the light bulb hanging above them shattered, showering sparks and glass.

Mikey yelped and Leo vaguely felt Don lean over him, providing a shield against the glass as it hit the genius' shell and fell harmlessly around them.

To Leo the noise of shattering glass was excruciating, as if it was on a loud speaker made for giants. It was all too loud.

He could only just identify the outline of Don, who was hovering above him and patting his cheek. The purple turtles' eyes were panicked and wide as he spoke to Leo, but Leo couldn't listen.

He felt something flick in his mind, like a light switch turning on, but with the raw power and pain which rushed him, it more so felt like someone had flicked a switch to open a dam flood gate. Everything rushed in – immense power and pain, strength and fear. But above all, a feeling that his mind had suddenly expanded, cramming his learnt skills to one section and opening up another empty space ready to be filled.

It was excruciating.

His world began to darken and the last thing he saw was Raph running towards them, eyes fixed on him, whilst worry and fear was plastered across his face.

Again, Leo could hear Raphael's voice, although this time he noticed that his brother's lips were not moving.

_LEO! What the hell? Leo- oh my god…Leo…_

Leo's vision darkened as his mind finally let go.

And then there was nothing.

**To be Continued…**

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**Please remember to leave a review! I really appreciate the feedback! Thanks and I hope that you have an awesome day. **


	3. Training of the Secret Kind

**Author's Note: **Hello! Yes, I'm talking to you, the wonderful person reading these words right now. I hope that you are having a fabulous day and that you enjoy this chapter. Please leave a review at the end. Thanks!

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**Chapter Three: **Training of the Secret Kind

_*Two Years Later* _

A loud obnoxious buzzing woke Leo.

He blinked, his sharpened eyes seeing through the darkness of his bedroom.

Leo stretched. Another day…

The buzzing intensified to a deafening level, as if an insect had found its way into his brain. It was agonisingly loud to say the least, and Leo furrowed his brow in focus, trying to block out the noise.

Embracing his heightened senses, Leo slowed his breathing, soon locating the small fly which flew about his ceiling, as he could feel the ripple of air against his skin with every flutter of its wings.

Having found the bug, Leo focused on tuning it out, instead enlarging his focus to his surrounding environment and slowly the intense buzzing faded.

Leo sighed.

His head was aching.

Having a headache was not uncommon for him, with his mind constantly working in over-drive to maintain the walls that shielded his mind from everything and everyone.

Swinging his legs from the bed, he winced as his head gave a painful throb. With his feet on the cold floor, Leo stopped. Before doing anything, he had to check that the walls inside his head were strong. He couldn't hear the thoughts of his brothers, which was always a good indication that the walls inside his head were okay, but he always had to check for weak spots. Just to be sure. To be safe.

Closing his eyes, Leo reached deep within himself, concentrating on his mind whilst breathing deeply. Finding the literal walls inside his head that he had worked on building for two years, stone by stone, Leo inspected them closely. They seemed okay.

Tired and strained but okay.

Good enough for training.

These days, his life consisted mostly of training.

Over two years of hard training and dangerous experimenting, Leo had discovered that he could control his heightened senses through focusing and narrowing his mind. It was irony in its purest form, that his second mutation had heightened his senses even further, as he could now feel, touch and hear things that even the greatest Masters of Ninjutsu could only dream of.

It had been hard – New York had been overwhelming and loud at first - but gradually he had learnt how to keep everything at bay. He had learnt that he could hone his senses through expanding and restricting his mind.

Sitting on the bed, Leo expanded his mind and focussed on his fingers, on his sense of touch, and then suddenly he could feel every individual woven fibre of the knitted blanket Master Splinter had given him. It had always been the blanket Leo used to cover his bed, but he had found a greater appreciation of the effort his Sensei had gone to, with every woven stitch now revealed to him.

Pushing himself off the bed, Leo's head gave another painful throb.

_It's going to be one of those days_, Leo mused, as he headed for the door and made his way to the dojo for his morning training.

Well, for his _secret_ morning training.

Leo smiled sadly, very much accustom to his routine. For two years now, he had been training in secret, attempting to harness his abilities, as on the 27th of December when he was thirteen years old, Leonardo had experienced his second mutation.

A mutation of the mind, as he liked to put it.

With this, Leo tip toed across the dark and quiet living room and entered the dojo, silently sliding the door shut behind him.

Leo smiled.

The dojo was graced by a soft candle light. The centre tree was a lush green and perfectly kept, casting a soft canopy over the practice mat. The overnight candles were nearing the end of their lives, flicking, melted down to tiny wax stalactites, hanging off the mantle. The room was beautiful. A place of balance and serenity. It always had been to Leo.

Leo glanced at his Katana, lying elegantly on the weapons rack, the blades beckoning him with their metallic shine.

He walked into the centre of the dojo, positioning himself in its heart on the training mat.

He outstretched his hand, felt the tug in his gut and pulled with his inner mind. His Katana blades soared through the air for him to catch and grip in perfect timing, just before he launched into his first kata with graceful fluency.

His blades and limbs cut through the air, as he performed a complicated kata. Concentrating, his blade, body and mind became one.

The mantra in his head started. _Blade, body and mind. Blade, body and mind._

For Leonardo, the connection between the three pillars was quite literal, as he had learnt that his mutated mind was indeed a force to be reckoned with. Dangerous even, if not controlled.

He stabbed right, twisted and followed through with his left Katana whilst also reaching out with his mind to the weapons rack, seizing Raph's Sai, forcing the sleek blades to cut through the air, plummeting themselves into the head of the punching dummy.

Leo smiled at his success, revelling in the feeling of control, as its very loss was what he feared the most.

He had lost control before.

Too many times in the past, he had come close to hurting one of brothers. The very day his 'gifts' had become known to him, he had nearly lost complete control, unable to shut off reading Raphael's thoughts, resulting in his panicked and pained mind causing the light bulb to explode.

He had been terrified and completely out of control.

Gliding through another kata, Leonardo shuddered at the memory knowing that the day could have easily ended in disaster, if he hadn't first blacked out from the pain.

There had been another time though.

Where he didn't black out…where he had lost control…and someone had died.

Leo shook his head. He would never stop punishing himself for what he had done and he took it upon himself to remember every detail on the dying stranger's face, as the man gurgled and rasped, choking on his own blood. Leo thought about it so much that the image was now seared permanently into his brain.

He would never forgive himself and he would never forget what happened on that stormy night, one year ago…

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_*Flashback*_

A flash of lightning illuminated the angry night sky.

Leo knew that he had to get home.

Sneaking out had been a mistake. A terrible mistake.

The storm, it seemed, had come out of nowhere and now it was bearing down on him, stretching across the night sky as far as Leo could see. The clouds were angry, pitch black and menacing.

He had only wanted to get out for a while.

The Lair had been too much.

He hadn't been able to stop hearing his brother's thoughts. All day and then into the night. He had tried fixing the wall inside his head, which usually kept the invading thoughts out, but every time he replaced a stone, another would fall from a different place entirely. He felt power building within him and he was scared.

He hadn't known what to do but one thing had been for sure - he had to get away from his family before something happened. Before he hurt them. He didn't want to hurt them. Not ever.

Leo ran across rooftops, as hard and fast as he could.

And then it had started.

The rain.

The heavens opened, pouring down.

The rain dashed across his ultra-sensitive skin. It was bitter cold and stung like a million bee stings all at once.

The rooftops quickly gathered a sheet of water, the gutters unable to manage the sudden downpour. Leo's feet splashed across the water. He was freezing, already shivering.

He was so far from the Lair.

Too far.

_This is bad. This is bad. This is bad. _Leo's thoughts overwhelmed him. _Come on Leo! Think! Where can you go?_

The sewer.

He could hide in a sewer.

Find a man hole and get underground. It was easy.

It was a solid plan. A simple one.

Leo scooted down a wall into a back alley. The alley was small and tucked away. Overflowing garbage bags lined each side, stacked high and glistening in the rain. A family of scavenging rats scurried away when they noticed Leo, squeaking into the darkness.

Desperately wiping rain from his face, Leo located the manhole cover in the middle of the alley. Walking to the grate, he lifted the steel and his heart sank. Down below, water violently rushed through the sewer. It was way too strong and Leo knew that he would surely be washed away.

He had to find somewhere else.

Slightly panicked now, Leo's heart was thumping in his chest as he started to climb a fire escape up to the roof once more. The steel beneath his fingers was slippery and cool. He could feel its imperfections under his fingertips.

Nearing the top of the ladder, Leo reached with his next hand and then a deafening boom rumbled across the sky as thunder made itself known to the whole of New York.

The noise detonated in Leo's ears. His senses screamed. He hadn't been ready for it.

Terrified, he gripped the ladder tighter, flattening himself against the rungs and that's where he stayed for a few moments, his ears ringing until very slowly he began to think again. He had to keep going.

Gritting his teeth, Leo pulled himself up the ladder and found his feet once more on a flooded rooftop.

Scanning the city, focussing his mind on his sight, Leo searched through the dark and through the rain for somewhere, anywhere, he could hide from the storm.

And there it was.

A row of warehouses, a few blocks away.

A haven; away from the thunder, lightning and rain. Away from everything that was making his heightened senses scream.

Without a second thought, Leo ran across New York city towards the warehouse. Overhead, lightning danced across the sky and thunder crashed.

It was becoming too much.

Every sense was in overdrive and Leo couldn't keep up with it.

His head was thumping.

He felt his gut tightening.

_No. No. No._ He knew that feeling. _Not now. NOT NOW! _

Leo ran. He reached the warehouse, leaping down onto its tin roof and sliding down its slope. It was high but at the edge of the roof, Leo lowered himself from the gutter to hang and peer through the top windows into the dry warehouse below. Inside was dark but he could see if he focussed, thanks to his 'gifts.' The industrial shelves were mostly empty, a carpet of dust covering them. A dormant forklift was parked in the corner of the large space, now only being used by spiders.

"Looks abandoned," Leo whispered to himself.

It was perfect.

Pushing the window inwards, Leo was surprised when it creaked inwards, unlocked.

He climbed inside.

Silent, like a shadow, he dropped from the window and onto the ground, rolling to soften the fall. The sound echoed through the empty warehouse.

He stood, dripping wet. His bandana and gear absolutely soaked.

But he was inside. He was safe.

The thunder outside rumbled on, but slightly muffled now. Leo felt the vibrations under his feet. His mind however could finally rest. He breathed slowly and checked the walls inside his head. They were bad. The thunder and the rain had taken their toll and there were even more stones missing.

It made him uneasy. He needed the wall. Even if it was inside his head, he had learnt that he needed to visualise something to keep the thoughts of everyone in New York City out of his head. In his mutated mind, he needed something solid. Something real.

Already with only a few stone missing, he could hear whispers starting to sneak in. He could hear sleepy dreams and random words of those around him in New York.

He scanned the pitch black warehouse, warily listening and searching the darkness. There was no one. He was alone.

He let out a breath. His head was throbbing.

Backing into a corner, Leo unsheathed his Katana blades. He couldn't let them sit wet all night. He prided himself on their gleam and perfection. Out of his brothers, he felt like he had the strongest connection to his weapon, with them being a mere extension of his arms. They were a part of him.

He held the blade in his hands, feeling their comforting and familiar weight. He closed his eyes, trying to calm his raging and aching mind. He found his voice, "Okay Leo. You're okay. Just breathe and rela-"

**CRACK! **

The lightning strike hit the warehouse.

Everything flashed white.

Leo's head exploded.

His gut twisted.

His blade flew.

"GAHHH!"

The gruff scream filled the warehouse.

Leo froze.

Leo's vision was blurred from pain but he could see the outline of a man, straight ahead, standing between two shelves. He had a slight hunch and wore an unzipped weathered jacket, with the dirty woollen collar turned up at the back. His eyes were kind with deep smile lines, as if he had laughed every day of his life. An unkept mouse brown beard grew from his chin, with stands of wise silver throughout. The hair of his head was still brown but tangled and like wire. And his hands were working hands, wrinkled and rough and shaking over his stomach…where Leo's Katana was embedded.

His grey shirt was blooming a red flower, as blood started to soak through it.

"Oh my god," whispered Leo.

The man's knees buckled and Leo rushed forward, sprinting between the shelves, catching the stranger before he hit the ground.

Gently, Leo lowered him to the cement floor, cradling his head.

The man's breathing was shallow. Raspy.

"I'm sorry," whispered Leo, "I didn't…I didn't mean to."

Even as the words left Leo's lips, he knew that it was hopeless. The blade had pierced something important. There was so much blood – it was already pooling around the man on the cement floor.

The man opened and closed his mouth, trying to speak, but he only spluttered flecks of red blood onto his own face, choking.

Leo shook his head, though he knew the man couldn't see it. To the stranger, Leo was just a kid, a voice in the darkness, "I can get help. I can-"

The man's eyes widened, petrified and tormented. His face wrapped and his body gave a violet convulsion in Leo's arms. A sickening gurgling came from the back of his throat and then his body stilled, becoming awfully heavy in Leo's arms.

And with that, the stranger with no name was gone.

Leo held him.

He held him for hours, this man in the dark, whilst the rain poured down outside.

Leo lost track of time. Everything felt numb.

He had killed someone.

He had done this.

He stayed this way, frozen and unable to move, until the shelves around him turned a pale sleepy blue. The sun was rising. The rain at some point during the night had eased with the storm moving on.

As if cradling the most precious cargo, Leo lowered the man's head to the ground. He looked around, not knowing what to do.

Feeling sick, he looked down at his Katana which was still embedded in the man's stomach. Leo gripped the handle and slowly pulled on the weapon, almost throwing up at the sound of slushy flesh against his murderous blade as he freed the weapon from the man's stomach.

The Katana was covered in blood. The blood of an innocent.

Katana in hand, Leo stumbled backwards, away from his crime.

He couldn't stay…but he also couldn't leave the man alone in an empty warehouse for no one to find.

Leaving the body, Leo numbly weaved through the shelves and found where the man had clearly been living. A used sleeping bag was sprawled across the floor, along with some possessions and a half eaten bag of chips. The man had been homeless, with no-where to go. A shabby backpack of street essentials was propped up against the wall, but a perfect and pretty pink birthday card and snapped pencil were placed on the top.

The card caught Leo's attention. Maybe it had an address. Maybe a clue as to who this man had been. Hesitantly, Leo took it in his hands and inspected the cover, where a cartoon elephant was holding out a birthday cake. Taking a breath, Leo opened the card and began to read the careful handwriting -

_To my darling Suzie, _

_Happy 9__th__ Birthday! _

_I'm sorry that I'm going to miss your party this weekend but I promise that when I see you again, I will bring the biggest present ever! Daddy is trying his hardest to find a job so that I can get back to you. _

_I love you with all my heart, to the moon and the stars and back again. _

_Happy Birthday my darling girl. You make me proud every day. _

_Love, Daddy xoxoxo _

Leo's breath hitched in his throat. Tears welled in his eyes but he didn't allow them to fall, blinking them away. With trembling hands, Leo closed the card, placing it perfectly on the backpack once more.

This was too much.

The man had a family, a child who would now never see him again. There would be no more happy birthdays or reunions where Suzie would finally see her Dad again. Only death and never knowing what really happened to him.

Walking back to the man's body, Leo unhooked his T-phone and dialled 911. The police wouldn't be able to track the called, thanks to the T-phones advanced specs, but he couldn't simply leave the man. It wasn't right.

Leo put the phone to his head to hear it ring once before a woman answered on the other side of the line, her voice clear and calm – _"911, what is your emergency?" _

Leo gripped the phone tighter, "Someone's been hurt. Please come help…please-"

"_Okay sir, you said that someone has been hurt," _the voice interjected, "_Can you describe their injury to me?" _

Leo nodded, "They've been stabbed…through the, the, stomach."

"_Okay sir, do you know the person? Are they conscious?" _

A wave of fresh guilt washed over Leo, "No, I don't know them. He's not, he's not, not conscious. He's…d-dead."

"_Okay, sir, I need to stay calm. Do you know CPR?" _

"No, he's been, been, been dead for…hours. I can't stay here. Please, please just send someone. I'm in an abandoned warehouse downtown, near Canal Street I think."

"_Sir, I need you to stay where you are. I'm sending someone right now but I need you to tell me what has happened." _

Leo stiffened, "I-I-I did this. I'm sorry."

He lowered the phone, still able to hear the woman calling out for him and saying that everything would be okay if he stayed on the line and remained where he was.

But that was impossible.

Leo ended the call, cutting the 911 operator off mid-sentence. An eerie silence filled the warehouse once more. It all felt so wrong.

Leo glanced up at the window in which he had come through so many hours beforehand. He had to leave. Bending down, Leo placed a hand over the man's still open and terrified eyes, finally closing them. He studies the man's face, vowing to never forget every detail. To never forget this night and to never let anything like this ever happen again.

Leaping up onto the shelves and through the window, Leo left the scene of the crime whilst police cars with flashing lights arrived below him.

_*End Flashback*_

* * *

Leo grimaced at the memory, starting a new kata in the dojo.

After that night, he had intensified his training, vowing to himself that he would learn to control every aspect of his abilities.

And so he went it alone, training every day in his desperate plight to understand his abilities - his 'gifts'. He kept it from his family, not wanting them involved in something that could endanger them all.

But, in his constant training and secrecy, he couldn't help but wonder what his family would think if they knew.

Leo swiped left, activating his heightened senses, to listen as his Katana cut the air.

Raph would probably want to spar and push his abilities to the max. The thought of an all-out spar with his brother, in which he could use his abilities and for once not hold back, made Leo's heart pump with excitement, but he just couldn't risk it. What if he hurt Raph? What if he went too far?

Leo pivoted right and kicked high, hurling his Katana into the air with a deadly spin before holding it there with his mind mid-air, as he continued the Kata.

Donnie would most likely and gently ask for a blood sample to study as he would try to understand Leo's powered up mutations. In all honesty, Leo didn't understand much about the origins or cause of his 'gifts', but he figured that maybe he had been maybe exposed to a greater amount of mutagen than his brothers, thus inheriting his dormant abilities, but only to activate them when he was 13.

Beads of sweat dripped down his face, the suspended blade taking its toll as it hovered still in mid-air above him.

It took control and concentration to keep the blade there. His ability to read minds he could control now, most of the time, thanks to his walls, but the telekinesis was unruly, responding to emotions and instincts. He had to keep it in check. He hardly ever felt in complete control, except when he was training alone, with all of his concentration poured into his mind, body and blade.

In the dojo Leo released the blade in his mind, tuning his heightened hearing to the blade which fell towards him, the sharp point aligned with his head. He jumped, twisting around the blade and meeting it half way to grip the iron hilt.

He landed back on the ground, continuing without hesitation.

Mikey, his little bro, would probably compare him to a superhero from his comic books. Leo had the same abilities he supposed, but he had stopped being the hero when he had killed a man. Leo knew that he wasn't the hero of this story. He wasn't himself around his family any more. He was guarded and misleading. Ultimately, he was a liar. And a killer.

But he lied to protect them.

He had promised himself to never reveal his hidden side, to never lose control of his gifts and to never endanger his family, even when he felt alone and desperate to just tell someone.

Anyone.

Leo finished his final kata. He bowed gently to no one in particular and twisted his mask around to cover his eyes.

Gently, he outstretched his mind, allowing for his Katana blades to be lifted from his hands and carried back to the weapons rack.

The clang of metal told him that they were secured in place and Leo fixed his mask, smiling to see his blades perfectly placed.

His smile faded however when blood appeared on one of the blades and dripped onto the floor, quickly forming a crimson puddle underneath the weapons rack. Leo blinked and just as quickly as the blood had appeared, it was gone.

Leo breathed.

His blade was tainted forever by the blood of innocent.

It was his burden to bear.

In the silence of the lair, Leo allowed himself the privilege of letting his guard down. He opened and relaxed his mind, removing the walls which kept his mind control separate to the rest of him and under control, knowing that in the early hours of the morning, it was the safest time to do so.

Like this, he felt whole and unrestrained, without the constant pain in his head which he permanently lived with.

He sighed in relief, his shoulders loosening.

Mikey's voice entered his head first, as his little brother dreamed, leaking mindless thoughts._ Look guys – the pizza guy is here! Raph noooo, that was my piece. _

Leo chuckled. He didn't need mind reading abilities to know that most of the time Mikey was thinking about comics, pizza, skateboarding, the love for his family or some ridiculous prank he was about to pull.

Leo heard Donnie next: _I should probably get up. I should definitely have a shower before the guys steal all the hot water…_

Leo could feel Raph approaching the dojo, thoughts reverberating in his own head, coming closer and closer. _Bet Leo's already up. Teachers pet – he trains too hard. _

Leo's heart warmed slightly. He replaced the wall in his mind, the strain and throbbing returning, whilst he mulled over what Raph had been thinking.

Raph thought that he trains too hard.

Leo couldn't help but smile as Raph had no idea about just how true that was.

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

**Please remember to leave a review if you liked the chapter! Thank you! Have an awesome day! **


	4. A Deadly Night

**Author's Note: **Thanks again for visiting my story! A big thank you goes out to those who reviewed the last chapter! You are all amazing and I really appreciate the feedback. Please feel free to leave a review on chapter four! Enjoy the read! :)

* * *

**Chapter Four: **A Deadly Night

Leo was sitting in his dimly lit bedroom, contemplating the night to come.

It was sure to be challenging and draining and…full of pizza.

Earlier in the week, Leo had promised Mikey that on Friday, they would go downtown to get pizza from _Uncle Piero's_, who just so made what Leo thought was the most unbelievably greasy pizza around.

Leo couldn't help but like _Uncle Piero's Pizzeria _though as it was tucked away behind a back street, hidden from mainstream New York. Leo was pretty sure that the owner, Piero, cut every corner known to man, to keep expenses low. This of course resulted in slimy pizzas, loaded with more cheese than anything else, but the poor quality kept customers away, which made getting pizza even easier for Leo and his brothers.

Piero was a good person though. Leo could tell. The old New Yorker didn't ask any questions and wasn't the kind to pry. Leonardo strangely trusted him.

Collecting his Katana blades from their stand in his bedroom, Leo took a deep calming breath. Going out into the city meant that his walls needed to be extra strong all night, which in turn meant he needed to relax for a moment, whilst it was still relatively safe to do so in the Lair. Leo breathed, his walls lessening and allowing thoughts that weren't his to streamline into his mind.

Mikey's thoughts were as clear as crystal and filled with glee: _Pizza, here I come! Mmmm-mmm cheese and salami get in my belly-_

Leo couldn't help but smile; making his brothers happy temporarily helped in forgetting that so much in his life was...wrong.

Next Leo heard Donnie: _Uuuuhhhg why won't this thing work? I've double checked the wires. The sensor plate is set right, I'm sure. Could it be the…no, that's not it...maybe the readout isn't working…I'll try that next. Then I can see if-_

Leo tried to shift his mind away from Donnie who was clearly in the middle of inventing something. It didn't seem to be going well but Leo knew that Don would figure it out, one way or another. He always did.

_I should ask Leo if he's okay._

Leo frowned. It was Raphael's thoughts entering his head now. Leo knew that his red banded brother cared, but he rarely showed it. They had grown up a lot since when they were thirteen; they fought less about the trivial things, but Raphael was always guarded. He was always looking for a fight, even when there wasn't one.

Raphael's voice continued - _He's been acting off. Sometimes he's fine, but other times…I dunno. Maybe it's just me._

It wasn't just him. Leo sighed sadly but his heart warmed a little as he solidified his wall once more, making sure that it was as strong as it could be for the night to come. Almost instantly his head began to throb with the wall standing once more, but he didn't want to pry. The thoughts of his brothers were private after-all.

With a slight spring in his step, which came rarely, Leo left his room and headed towards Master Splinter's own quarters. Not once had he ever been able to read his Sensei's thoughts, though he had shamefully tried, out of curiosity. Leo guessed that it had something to do with his Sensei's ultimate state of mind. The thought of asking his Sensei for more mental and spiritual training had occurred to Leo, but he had always hesitated to ask, fearing that his Father would sense that something else was going on. One day he would ask. Someday.

Sliding open the doors to Master Splinter's room, Leo was hit by the overwhelming smell of sandalwood incense. The room was bathed in a soft candle light but Leo could clearly make out the shape of his Father kneeling before an altar. Everything in the room was clear to him, from the delicate paper details of the Japanese shōji to the tiny whispers of smoke wafting around the room, his eyes sharper than any of his brothers, thanks to his 'gifts'.

Quietly slipping inside, Leo approached and took his place to the left of his Sensei, folding his legs beneath him in meditation. He inhaled deeply, calming himself. With his heightened senses expanding, he could feel every fibre of the carpet underneath his legs and he could hear the normally unnoticed sound of the incense burning, as it sizzled away.

The presence of his Sensei was comforting.

"Is something troubling you, my Son?" his Sensei asked.

The question caught Leo off-guard, his voice cracking in his hurry to reply, "Uhhh no Sensei!" Leo looked across at his Sensei who was still a picture of serenity, his eyes half closed and not giving anything away. "I was just about to inform you that we're going topside for pizza. Afterwards, I was thinking about taking the guys on a quick patrol of the city. We shouldn't run into too much trouble though."

Master Splinter nodded, "Be careful...and be home by eleven."

Leo bowed his head at his Father, "Hai Sensei. I'll make sure of it."

Pushing off the meditation mat, Leo made his way to the door, about to slide it open but stopped when his Sensei's voice called out after him.

"Leonardo-"

He turned to find Master Splinter looking directly at him, with a concerned look in his eyes as his whiskers twitched.

His voice was calm. "I am your father and, as such, I want to remind you that you can come to me with anything. No matter how alone you think you may be, your family will always be there for you…and so will I."

Leo gripped the door tighter. His body went rigid. Did his Sensei know somehow? Leo managed a wobbly smile and hoped that it was enough to disguise that his stomach had decided to join the circus, with his insides doing somersaults. "I know father. I'm okay," he managed to say.

Master Splinter nodded and returned to his meditation.

Finally leaving his Sensei's room, Leo let out a breath he hadn't been aware that he was holding.

Turning back into the Lair and walking into the living, where the television was playing an old episode of Space Heroes, Leo raised his voice, "Alright guys, pizza and patrol time!"

Within seconds, Mikey was practically on top of him, bursting down from the top level of the Lair and then running around the living room, waving his nun-chucks like a mad man. Or mad turtle, in this case. "OHHH YEAH BOYEEE! I've been looking forward to this AAALLLL week man!" he hollered.

"Clearly," Leo deadpanned.

Raphael emerged from the kitchen, tucking his Sai into his belt. He briefly looked at Leo as if deciding something, but then shrugged. "Where's Don?" he asked, looking around. "YO DON! Get your shell out here!"

As if on cue, Donnie pelted from his lab and hurled himself over the couch, shielding his head with his arms. "GET DOWN!" he yelled, a panicked look on his face.

In a second, Mikey had disappeared behind the pin ball machine and Raphael ducked back into the kitchen. Knowing that his brothers were safe, Leo dove for the couch, taking up a spot next to his purple banded brother. He looked up just in time to see Donnie grimace before –

**BOOM!**

With the explosion, Leo's own head erupted in white hot pain. The sound erupted in his head, as if someone had pulled a pin to a grenade in his brain. He hadn't been prepared for the sound. Or the heat. True, it probably wasn't much to his brothers, but to Leo, his skin was on fire. His sensitive ears were ringing.

He bit down hard on his lip and tasted his own metallic blood.

Everything rung.

His head was spinning.

His vision wasn't clear, the Lair becoming a blur of murky blues and greens.

He put every fibre of his body into not passing out.

A voice was there though, cutting through. Donnie's voice - "Whoa. Okay, I was not expecting _that. _That was my bad everyone. Yeap, my bad."

He had to get up.

He had to act fine.

Leo raised his head. His vision was clearing, as he could make out the blurry shapes of his brothers as they emerged from their cover positions.

"What the hell Donnie?!" Raphael was yelling, waving smoke from around his head, walking from the kitchen.

Donnie was clambering to his feet, "I know! I know! I'm sorry! The Lair looks okay, albeit slightly seared, but I need to check on my lab before something else explodes. Mikey, care to lend a hand?"

Mikey's eyes appeared from behind the pin ball machine, "Sure thing D, as long as you show me _exactly_ how to do that again!"

"Mikey, of all the people, why on Earth would I show _you_ how to operate explosives?" Donnie asked, as he and Mikey disappeared into the lab.

Leo's head was throbbing. He swallowed the blood in his mouth and closed his eyes, trying to collect himself. Trying to force his limbs to work.

The wall inside his head was swaying and Leo was desperately trying to make it stand strong again.

"Ahhhh Leo? You okay down there?" asked Raph.

For a second, Leo thought his voice wasn't going to work as his throat felt like someone had taken to it with sand paper, but he managed to find a few words, forcing them out of his mouth, "Yeap. I'm good."

With trembling arms, Leo pushed himself up off the floor. The room tilted on its axis, he staggered backwards and would have toppled over onto his shell, if Raphael hadn't ran from the kitchen to catch him.

Raph held him strongly but there was concern in his voice, "Whoa, steady bro. You hit your head or somethin'?"

Leo tried to find his feet but found that he was already slowly being lead and lowered to sit on the couch. Sitting was much easier. Sitting was good. His brother's emerald green eyes were studying him closely.

"Yeah, must have," Leo nodded.

He was lying again.

"Okay, well, just sit 'ere for a second," Raph replied. "I'll go get some ice or something."

Leo waved the idea away with his hand, knowing that ice wouldn't help with what he was going through, "No, no…I'm okay, really Raph. I'll be good in no time."

_He doesn't look good. He's not with it. What is he not telling me?! Something's wrong- _Raph's thoughts seeped into Leonardo's head and he strained to strengthen his mental barriers until Raph's thoughts slowly faded away.

Raph planted his shell firmly on the couch, annoyance in his voice, "Suit yourself then. Don't let me help you."

Leo sighed. His vision was clear now and although Raphael made out that he was annoyed, Leo caught him glancing his way intermittently, scanning him and checking if was okay.

After a while of sitting in silence, Donatello and Mikey appeared from the lab again. Donnie was holding what looked like half of a flat metal disk, with wires and pistons protruding it, whilst the other half was now warped metal and blown to bits, dangling in Donnie's arms. "Sooooo, turns out that my homemade mines aren't as stable as I thought," Don giggled. "We took care of the flames."

Mikey had a fire extinguisher in his hands and was spraying the last of the foam onto the lab's entrance where small flames still were flickering away, "This foam stuff is cool Don. Do you think that if I attached it to my skateboard, it would go faster or even make me fly, like in the cartoons?"

Don shook his head, "No Mikey, I do _not_ think that."

Mikey looked deflated but smiled, looking at Leo, "Soooo, we _are_ still going for pizza, right?"

Leo nodded, causing his head to thump. His skin was tingling but he faked a wobbly smile, "Yeap. _Uncle Piero's _here we come."

Instantly Mikey dropped the extinguisher and ran for the sewer entrance, disappearing into the dark. Donatello followed, placing the mine carefully on a side table, stepping away slowly as if it was going to blow up again. It made Leo uneasy.

Raph stood and offered his hand to Leo, which he took gratefully.

Being pulled to his feet, Leo's legs trembled slightly but he remained upright. A mere explosion wasn't the worst that had happened since he had obtained his heightened senses or abilities. This was his life and he had to adapt to it.

He walked with Raphael through the sewer, testing out his legs, until he could maintain a steady jog.

Together they reached the ladder and climbed up into the world above.

* * *

The night was a cold one.

Winter was most surely on its way. There was a bite to the air but it helped to clear Leo's head and soon he was strong and steady enough to run with his brothers across the rooftops of New York. He enjoyed these nights, where it almost seemed as though nothing had changed.

Out in the open, he had to maintain impenetrable walls inside his head in order to lock out the thoughts of the eight and a half million people who lived in NYC. Occasionally a stone would slip and voices would rush in; angry feelings, sad realisations, procrastinating thoughts and sleepy dreams. Quickly, Leo would concentrate again, straining his head, but managing eventually to patch the wall once more.

His blue bandanna whipped behind him and together, with his three brothers, they ran all the way to _Uncle Pieros_. His brothers showed off, skidding down fire escapes, leaping across large gaps between buildings and flipping over water tanks and satellite dishes. Leo just ran, his full concentration on remaining in control.

When they arrived, _Uncle Pieros _was almost empty. Crouching high on the ledge of the building opposite, Leo could see through the grime tinged windows. A hooded teenager was staring into his phone, sitting under a flickering yellow light, at one of the window booths. 'The Pink Lady' as Mikey had named her was in her usual spot, at the chefs table, hunched over a sickly pink strawberry milkshake. She looked well into her eighties with ashen skin and a tuft of fluffy white hair, but she was still a beacon of colour in the shop, dressed in her cherry blossom pink cardigan and matching skirt. She wore several heavy necklaces and clutched her cat-themed handbag as though it was about to be ripped from her grasp by a mugger. Uncle Piero was working behind the counter, cutting giant pizzas, with his bulging belly hanging out from under his not-so-white stained tank top.

Turning his attention away from the shop's interior, Leo inspected the dark alleyway below, where a brittle homeless man was searching through overstuffed trash bags with his frail gloved hands. He wore dark blue jeans which were shredded at the knees. He was muttering to himself, puffs of cold air escaping his lips.

A pang of fresh guilt washed over Leo.

The man reminded him of a stranger he had once met…and killed.

With shame, Leo tried to push the memory aside, at least for the night.

Leo put one finger to his lips, signalling for his brothers to maintain in stealth mode whilst he moved in. As usual, Leo made eye contact with Raph, "Keep watch. Keep quiet."

Raph grunted in response and took up his place at the edge of the roof, watching for anything or anyone.

Leo turned back to Donnie and Mikey. His orange banded brother, was shifting from foot to foot with excitement, unable to remain still. "You know the drill," Leo said. "Just stay here for a couple minutes. I'll be back soon."

Mikey nodded enthusiastically.

"Make sure Mikey doesn't get impatient and break in to eat the whole store somehow," Leo joked to Donnie.

"Hey," Mikey protested, "I'm right here, ya know!"

Donnie laughed, "I would defend you but Leo has a point."

With one final check on his brothers, Leo flipped down and off the building, landing silently on his feet by the backdoor of the shop. The homeless man a few meters away continued to search through the trash bags, completely unaware of Leo's presence. Clenching his fist, Leo knocked two times hard on the old rusted door, then three times in quick succession followed by a single knock once more.

A secret knock. It was corny but effective.

Waiting for his pizza to be made, a chill crept into Leo's shell. Sometimes it sucked to be cold-blooded, especially in winter. He shivered, his teeth beginning to chatter.

And then the door opened. Leo made sure to be tucked behind it, so that Piero couldn't see him.

"Special Order," Uncle Piero announced, his extremely hairy arm outstretching a steaming pizza box.

"Thanks," replied Leo, taking the pizza and handing Piero a 20-dollar bill, "keep the change."

"Thanks green man. 'ave a good night, yeah."

The metal door swung shut and Leo grapple hooked up the wall, back to the roof where his brothers were waiting.

Mikey was on him instantly, "Ooooo, did you get it?"

"Yes, Mikey. Come on, the faster we get back up there," Leo indicated to the taller apartment block roof above them, "the sooner you can have some."

Leo didn't need to tell him twice. Mikey was the first to whip out his grapple hook and soar up onto the building, disappearing over its ledge. His head popped back over the side and he madly swung his arms about, "COME ON! HURRY UP GUYS!"

His voice rang into the night and even disturbed some sleeping pigeons who startled. Leo felt the air push against his face as they flew into the night.

Next to Leo, Raphael dragged a hand down his face in dismay, "And to think that he's a ninja."

Leo shook his head, "He's not exactly what I would call stealthy."

In unison, Leo and his remaining brothers, aimed their grapple hooks, fired and ascended onto the roof to join their pizza enthusiast of a brother.

* * *

Hot grease and cheese oozed down Leo's fingers, dripping down onto the cement roof below, as he sat on top of the apartment's rooftop water tank.

Below him Raph was propped on a railing of the water tank, eating his pizza which he had kebabbed onto one of his Sai. On the roof below them, Mikey, who had already devoured his own slices, was giving Donnie his best puppy-dog eyes, watching him intently as his brother reached for his second New York sized slice.

"If you think I'm going to give this to you," Donnie announced as Mikey's eyes widened even further, "then you better think again."

Leo could see the devastation befall upon his youngest brother's face, as he slumped away from Donnie, in a huff.

A truck horn blasted from below and Leo winced, the noise ringing in his ears.

Tonight just wasn't his night.

He could only protect himself against so much and if a noise or feeling came out of no-where, he had no chance of focusing on something else or on his larger surroundings.

The pizza was good though. Greasy, cheesy and good. Leo popped the last bit of crust in his mouth, revelling in its taste.

Standing, he stretched. "Alright guys, let's patrol and then head home. I promised Sensei that we wouldn't be late."

Below him, Raphael jumped from the water tower. Donnie was dusting off crumbs from his lap and Mikey was still pouting but now swinging his nun-chucks in tight circles, amusing himself.

With ease, Leo slid from water tower, solidly landing next to Raphael.

His brothers were looking at him, ready for instructions.

Leo opened his mouth to speak, about to give the all clear for them to begin their city wide patrol, but then he felt it. In fact, he heard it first. A sharp whistling. Coming from behind Mikey.

Leo's eyes widened. He felt the arrow pushing through the air, "MIKEY! DROP!"

His orange brother flattened himself to the floor and Leo side stepped aside as an arrow shot through the air and embedded itself into the water tank with a 'tink' sound.

Raph drew his Sai and lowered his body, ready for an attack.

Donnie was wildly looking around, bo staff also drawn.

Leo unsheathed his Katana blades, hovering over Mikey who was slowly picking himself and his chucks up from the floor. "Be ready guys," Leo warned.

A whistling.

From behind.

Near Raphael.

"RAPH! MOVE!" Leo yelled.

Not seconds after he had said it, Leo slashed his blades through the air, finding the arrow and cutting it in two, the pieces falling to the ground.

Leo clenched his Katana tighter, yelling into the night, "Shooting at us, from the shadows?! You have no honour!"

"Honour is irrelevant to this fight, Leonardo," boomed a menacing voice from all around. The voice was gruff, low and captured the attention of the night, as if the darkness was listening. And it was so very awfully familiar.

The Shredder.

He was somewhere. Close by.

Raphael twirled his Sai, "SHREDDER! COME OUT AND FIGHT, YOU GUTLESS COWARD!"

Leo glanced at his brother, "Easy Raph. Keep your cool."

"As you wish," Shredder's voice echoed again, "FOOT – ATTACK!"

Across the roof tops of the surrounding high rises, Foot soldiers suddenly emerged, jumping down onto the roof where Leo and his brothers stood. Facing outwards, Leo adjusted his Katana swords, feeling every fibre of fabric in the palm of his hands, "Ready guys?"

"Born ready," Raphael boasted.

And then, without Leo giving the word, Raph leapt forward with a war-cry and the battle began.

* * *

On the rooftop, Leo's brothers fought ferociously.

Raphael was pummelling through Foot soldiers, knocking one after the other down to the ground. Donnie was holding his own, sending enemy weapons flying with fancy swings and spins of his bo-staff. Mikey, well Mikey, was gleefully prancing around the rooftop, clubbing enemies over the head with his nun-chucks as he ran.

The battle filled the night with metallic sounds as weapons crashed and clanged together.

Leo spun in the air, taking down two members of the foot. Another came at him screaming, but Leo ducked under the attacker's blade and wiped the soldier out with a swift kick to the back of the knees. The next soldier, an Odachi wielder, with burning eyes filled with hatred, ran at Leo with his long blade set to slice him in half.

Leo charged, his Katanas in hand.

Their swords met.

Leo spun, flipping in the air, slashing out with his Katana, only to his blow blocked by the Odachi wielder who then advanced, furiously aiming for Leo's neck with each precise swing of his deadly weapon. Backing up, Leo ducked and swerved, aiming low with his Katana as he made calculated strikes, succeeding only in hitting the Foot Soldier's body armour.

This Foot Soldier was skilled, unlike the foot bots that Shredder had constructed. This enemy was trained and deadly. He was different.

With the Foot Soldier pushing Leo back further across the roof, Leo spotted a ventilation duct. Thrusting off the ground, Leo jumped and wall ran, defying gravity and then flying down upon the Soldier with a yell. His Katana found the Odachi and with his foot, Leo kicked out.

Leo's foot met the soldier's rib cage and Leo felt a distinct crack as he shattered one or more of his opponents ribs. The Soldier staggered backwards, clutching his side and lowering his weapon, moaning in pain.

Leo paused, waiting to see if the Soldier would retreat on his own terms.

It was the honourable thing to do.

He didn't want to kill anyone.

"Just retreat," Leo warned, "leave now and don't come back."

The Foot Soldier nodded, his eyes scrunched in pain, as he turned and walked away towards the fire escape.

Leo looked away then, searching for his brothers amongst the fray.

But then there was a thought, which seeped through the cracks of Leo's wall. A blurred and pained thought from the retreating Soldier.

_Stars. Stars…_

Leo's eyes widened.

He felt the Shuriken stars spinning towards his face and he swiftly raised his Katana blades, swatting the stars away, one after the other, from every angle. Trying to defend himself from the onslaught, Leo staggered backwards, his foot clipping an unconscious soldier and then before he knew what was happening, he was falling.

Leo's shell slammed down upon the cement rooftop; his heightened senses fired and a white hot pain shot up his spine. He couldn't help the gasp that escaped his lips as his vision turned black for a second, as he blipped in and out of consciousness.

The Odachi wielder was advancing towards him, weapon in hand, whilst he clutched his broken ribs with the other. He had pulled down his mask to reveal an old three pronged scar which travelled from his left eye to chin, but it was his smile which was haunting. He smiled like a victorious hunter, about to slaughter his prey.

Leo reached for his Katana blades, only to find them gone, meters away and out of reach. His vision blackened again and he tried to hold on. He tried to do something, anything, but the pain was too much and he lost consciousness again, slipping back into the darkness.

And then there was pain.

It ripped him back into consciousness and he screamed.

Somewhere across the battle, he heard his brothers yelling his name, trying to get to him.

"LEO!"

"NOOO!"

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!"

The Odachi was deep in Leo's right shoulder, twisting.

The Foot Soldier was standing over him, smiling his awful smile.

The blade twisted again. The searing hot pain enveloped Leo.

There was a tug in his gut.

Leo knew the feeling and for a second he panicked, not wanting to lose control and hurt anyone, but then the feeling melted away. He could do this. This was his only chance.

He screamed upwards at the Soldier.

An invisible force was pushed out of him and the Soldier was propelled through the air to slam against the ventilation duct before crumpling to the ground.

Leo moaned, looking at the Odachi that was left still embedded in his shoulder. He reached out, pain rippling down his arm. He gripped the blade and pulled upwards. The blade slid out of his shoulder, blood spilling down his plastron. It was slippery. Leo hadn't ever seen so much before and he swallowed, trying to keep himself from vomiting.

He threw the Odachi to the ground and it clattered across the rooftop.

Picking himself off the roof, his legs wobbled. Blood gushed from his wound, but he stemmed it with his hands, applying steady pressure.

His vision was blurry, bobbing in and out of focus.

"LEO!" Raphael called from somewhere near him. "You okay?!"

Leo managed a thumbs up, not really knowing where his brother was, but hoping that the hand signal was enough to reassure his worried brother. Around him the battle was slowing, the small army of Foot soldiers was beginning to thin out, with some fleeing but many others laying on the rooftop groaning or unconscious.

Pride filled Leo's chest, even as blood flowed from his shoulder, as for the first time ever he had used his 'gifts' for good. He had used them in battle and he had managed to stay in control.

For once, this was the night that no one died.

Beaming, he looked around to check on his brothers.

He blinked until his vision cleared but then what he saw made his heart skip a beat.

Mikey and Raph were finishing off their own attackers, knocking them to the ground.

But it was Donnie who was in trouble.

Donnie knocked the last Foot soldier out with a swift blow to the back of the head and he turned to smile at Leo, absolutely oblivious to the foreboding figure which now loomed behind him. The figure already had raised his weapon of choice, a bladed gauntlet.

And then, within a second and without hesitation, the Shredder sliced down his gauntlet of death upon Donnie.

And in that second all Leo could do was reach out and scream-

"**DONATELLO!**

To Be Continued…


	5. Blessings in Disguise

**Author's Note: **Thanks so much for the reviews! Sorry to leave you on that cliff-hanger, but hopefully this chapter was worth the wait. Again, thanks for the support! To anyone reading this, please leave a review (let me know what you think!). Cheers!

* * *

**Chapter Five: ** Blessings in Disguise

"**DONATELLO!" **

Leo felt a familiar pull in his gut.

Donnie's face morphed from triumph to absolute terror as he realised that something was awfully wrong. He began to turn and raised his arms over his head, trying desperately to shield himself from Shredder's gauntlet as it came down upon his head.

Adrenaline shot through Leo's veins and exploded in a force towards Shredder, raw and powerful.

Shredder's gauntlet should have sliced through Donatello's flesh.

The weapon, which had cut down so many others before him, should have found Donnie's skull and cracked it wide open to spill crimson blood and brains across the rooftop.

And yet…it didn't.

A strained grunt escaped Shredder's mouth and his raised arm began to tremble. Frozen in place, his face scrunched in effort as he tried futilely to break through the invisible force which now bound him.

Leo felt his telekinesis working; sheer energy flowing through him as he focussed on keeping Shredder locked in place. He could feel the sweat beading on his suddenly hot and sticky forehead, dampening his bandana.

Raphael rushed in then, practically crashing into Donnie before pulling him forward, out of Shredder's reach. Together they retreated to stand behind Leo.

Donnie's voice was shaky, "Th-thanks Raph."

"Don't mention it," Raph replied.

Mikey leapt onto the railing of the water tank above them, "What's up with Shred-head guys?"

Alone, without his Foot Soldier Army, the Shredder's eyes were wide and panicked, flicking between Leo and his brothers. His arm was frozen in the air, mid strike. "What is this?" he seethed. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"

Leo breathed, keeping his voice steady, "We haven't done anything!"

Shredder's eyes were hateful, full of rage and burning like an exploding sun. "When I am free of this," he said, his words dripping with malice, "I will kill you all."

Leo maintained the energy flowing from within him, in complete control. His internal walls were also strong, like an impenetrable fortress. It was his undying love for his brothers which fuelled him. With or without his 'gifts', he would never allow Shredder or anyone else to harm them. There was one thing that remained certain in his life; that he would protect his brothers until the end of time, no matter the cost.

Leo raised his Katana blades, outstretching them to the sides as if shielding his brothers, "That's never going to happen, Shredder!"

With that, Leo breathed in and focussed on the vast amount of water above him, currently held back by the tank's rusting exterior walls. He found the cracks in the structure and then outreached with his mind to expand them, engaging his telekinesis to a whole new level.

A light mist began to spray from the tank.

"Yo dudes, I'm getting wet up here," Mikey said from above, "I think the tank is about to blow."

Leo smiled, "Time to go guys."

Mikey landed beside him silently, "What about Shredder?"

"Leave him," Leo replied shortly.

Raph twirled his Sai, "But Leo, we could stick him. Right here, right now. And then that would be it. No more Shredder."

Leo shook his head. "I said no, Raph. We don't kill people in cold blood, even if it is Shredder. He'll get what he deserves, one day."

Leo turned then, walking away from his enemy. He could feel his internal battery reaching critical power. Red blood still oozed from his shoulder wound, but the injury felt like a distant memory, with all of his concentration focused on the water tank above and keeping Shredder frozen in place.

Continuing forward, Leo stepped around the injured Foot Soldiers across the roof as he leapt down from the building, with his brothers in tow, Raph still muttering under his breath about how they could end Shredder's life with one strike of his Sai.

Soundlessly, Leo's feet connected with the smooth concrete of the street below but his mind rocketed upwards as he ripped the water tank wide open, blasting apart its jagged steel. Not wanting to kill his enemy, Leo released his hold on Shredder, only to hear a gruff yell from above cut off, as a white waterfall cascaded down the building.

He glanced sideways at Donnie, who had his mouth open in awe, watching as water continued to pour down from where they all once fought. "Are you okay, Don?" Leo asked him.

Donnie blinked. "Yeah, I'm alright. I don't understand what just happened, but I'm glad it did."

Leo opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by Raphael, who held him still by his uninjured shoulder whilst he inspected the deep and jagged wound in his other.

Raphael smirked up at Leo, "That's gonna leave a wicked scar dude. You alright?"

Mikey was hovering between them, constantly changing his focus between his brothers, concern clearly on his face.

Leo felt heavy. His limbs ached and his shoulder wound was on fire, but he beamed back at his brother, proud of what they all had accomplished. He attempted to shrug but the gesture turned into a grimace as his injury flared, "Nothing that won't heal."

Donnie stepped forward then, also looking at the wound, whilst he reached up and untied his own bandanna, pulling the knot out with a swift tug. "That could get infected Leo. We live in a sewer, remember? I'll need to clean and dress it, but I don't have any supplies on me."

Leo wanted to offer his own bandanna, but before he could, Donnie was already gently wrapping his purple one around the wound in a makeshift bandage to stem the bleeding.

"Hold it there Leo," Donnie instructed, "constant pressure, okay?"

"Thanks Don," Leo replied, watching as Donnie's bandanna started to stain as blood began to soak through. "Come on guys. Master Splinter will be waiting."

* * *

The lab certainly was a little worse for wear after the explosion which had occurred earlier in the night.

Leo sat on Donnie's lob-sided desk chair. The chair had been salvaged long ago from a land fill site as a gift for Don from their youngest brother. Little Mikey had been so proud of his find. The memory made Leo smile fondly.

The lab around him was scorched. Shattered glass twinkled across desks which now had black burns seared into their wood. Leo could still smell smoke. He wrinkled his nose, resisting the urge to cough.

Walking home, the adrenalin which had sustained his gifts had started to leave his system and the pain from his shoulder had intensified, burning with each step. His heightened senses certainly added to the pain, as he could feel his flayed flesh catching on the fabric of Donatello's purple bandanna.

He and his brothers had taken it very slow, remaining concealed in the shadows. Leo had kept a keen eye on Donatello throughout the journey home. His brother had looked slightly paler than normal, but he was alive.

When they had finally reached the Lair, Master Splinter had been waiting for them but his anger at them for missing curfew melted away instantly as soon as he saw that Leo had been injured.

Now, in the lab, Donatello was rustling amongst the first aid cupboard in the far corner of the damaged room, pulling out bandages, swabs and other medical supplies. "It's lucky that this stuff survived the blast," he said over his shoulder.

"Yeah," Leo agreed, distracted. "I guess so."

Leo took a shaky breath in. Reaching within himself, he checked his walls, only to find them intact, despite his pain.

Subconsciously, Leo began a mantra in his mind_: I can do this…I can do this. _

He watched as Donnie gathered up medical supplies. Balancing the massive amount of supplies in his arms, Donnie walked over and unloaded them on the scorched desk next to Leo.

"That's a little much, don't you think?" Leo asked, gesturing at the mound of first aid equipment.

Donnie looked up from his pile, gentle concern in his eyes. "You've got a pretty serious stab wound Leo. Just stay still and let me help."

Leo smirked but the expression twisted as Donnie reached up and began to untie his own blood soaked bandanna that was still wrapped around Leo's right shoulder. Donnie pulled the ruined bandanna away.

Leo felt a pang of guilt as Donnie threw it straight into the trash bin on the floor.

"Don't worry about it," Donnie reassured, not missing a beat. "I'll just get another one from Sensei."

Leo nodded and looked towards his injured shoulder, the sight making him swallow.

His shoulder was a mess. Torn flesh was hanging from his plastron. The bleeding had slowed but the way that the Odachi had twisted in his shoulder, had made a gaping wound.

"This is going to hurt," Donnie warned sadly.

Leo knew that Donnie would try to be as gentle as he could. He nodded. "Just do what you need to. I can take it."

Immediately Donnie set to work, unwrapping bandages, gauze and prepping needles with thread. He unwrapped alcohol swabs and began wiping around the wound.

Instantly, Leo inhaled a sharp breath, his knuckles turning white as he stiffly gripped the arm rest of the desk chair. The fluorescent light above them flickered. Leo breathed deeply. He had exploded lights before, when he had been in pain.

"I can get Raph to knock you out," Donnie offered, not seeming to care about the flickering light, his eyes still fixated on Leo's wound as he cleaned it with water and sterile gauze strips.

"What?" Leo laughed.

"That way, you at least wouldn't feel anything."

Leo shook his head, laughing breathlessly. "If it comes to that, I'll let you know."

Leo could tell that Donnie was trying to be gentle as he started to piece his plastron back together again with a sewing needle and thread, but he couldn't help but wince as the needle pulled at his flesh. The light flickered again. The bulb began to buzz in his ears.

_I can do this…I can do this. _

Over and over, Leo repeated the mantra inside his head, desperate to remain in control. The electric buzzing in his ears intensified. The lights around the lab danced, all flashing on and off. He could feel his internal wall trembling. Leo closed his eyes and he breathed.

_I can do this. I can do this…_

"What the hell?" Donnie's voice asked. "Something's going on with the power."

Leo slowed himself down, focussing on just his breath as he inhaled crisp oxygen, feeling his lungs expand, before he exhaled again. He _knew_, for a fact, that he could remain in control. He had proved that to himself across the night, whilst saving his brothers.

_Just breathe. In…and out. _

He had saved his brothers!

He had used his gifts to save them.

_Breathe in…_

_Breathe out…_

_I __**can**__ do this, _Leo reminded himself.

And for the first time since gaining his abilities, he believed it. He opened his eyes and breathed. The flickering lights subsided. The buzzing in his ears dulled. The wall inside his head stood strong.

Donnie looked around the now peaceful lab. "Well that was…weird."

"Yeah," Leo agreed, "weird."

Leo sat in the chair then, closing his eyes, whilst Donnie continued to work on his shoulder. He continued to breathe steadily but the mantra in his head faded, as he simply didn't need it anymore.

"I think I'm done," Donnie's voice announced, after a small while.

Squinting, Leo opened his eyes slowly, blinking until his eyes adjusted to the fluorescent lighting of the lab. He switched his glance from his brother, who stood in front of him with a relieved smile across his face to his shoulder, expecting to see a wound, but instead finding his injury neatly wrapped in pristine white bandages. The bandage wrapped around his chest and shell, securing more gauze in place. Leo went to rotate his shoulder, but then stopped as it throbbed.

"Whoa whoa Leo," Donnie warned, "I was able to stitch you up, but please take it easy."

"Duly noted," Leo nodded.

"Ready to stand?" Donnie asked.

Again Leo nodded, slowly rising onto his feet, with Donnie holding out his hands, ready to catch him if he was to stumble.

"I'm good," Leo announced.

Donnie's smile broadened and he lowered his arms. "Good. We'll have to change the bandage every few days, but you should make a full recovery."

Inspecting his brother's work, Leo was impressed. His brother always did have an eye for anything intricate. Donnie's voice broke him out of his thoughts.

"Can I ask you something, Leo?"

Leo made eye contact with his brother. "Sure. What's up?"

"How'd you know about the arrows? Yes, we're trained to listen for and react to threats, but that was something else."

Leo stopped.

How was he going to explain everything that had happened?

How was he going to keep his gifts a secret?

Did he even need to anymore?

"I guess I…I…."

Leo trailed off. On the brink of telling Donatello, Leo stopped himself, remembering why he kept it all a secret. He remembered that he had killed someone and that his family knowing anything immediately put them at risk.

"I guess I just knew," Leo said. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the truth either. "Just an instinct."

Donnie regarded him with scepticism, but then shrugged, turning to the door.

Leo followed, testing his shoulder as he walked and grinning.

* * *

Leo sat on the couch, trying his best to keep his shoulder still and his face blank of emotions.

Donnie was pacing in the middle of the dimly lit living room of the Lair, "Water tanks don't just spontaneously explode Leo!"

Raphael was punching the crap out of his practice dummy, "And what the hell was up with Shredder? It's not like he got cold feet and second guessed killing Don."

Donnie gulped, "I should be dead."

Mikey looked up from the TV which he sat inches from, watching Space Heroes, "Glad you're not dead Don."

"Me too," Donnie sighed before starting to pace again. "What happened out there guys? It was like an invisible force was holding Shredder. There had to be someone else out there, helping us. Maybe someone with some high force field tech, which might I add, hasn't even been invented yet!"

Leo knew that Donnie wasn't going to let this go, "What's your point Don?"

"Well we need to get in touch with these people. See what they know. Imagine how much help they would be if we became allies! Leo, why are you so hesitant about this?"

The question hit Leo hard and he paused before replying, carefully choosing his words, "Because if they wanted to be allies, why didn't they make themselves known to us? Maybe they don't want to be found."

For Leo, that was close enough to the truth. Somehow, perhaps too occupied by their own enemies, his brothers hadn't seen what Leo had done on the roof to the Odachi wielder. They didn't know what he could do and Leo was going to keep it that way, for now.

Donnie paused then, clearly thinking, "Okay."

Leo nodded, "Okay. I'm going to speak to Master Splinter."

"Make sure you tell him about how we kicked ass!" Raph called from his practice dummy.

Leo chuckled, making his way towards the sliding door of his Sensei's room, withstanding the urge to clutch his injured shoulder. He stood outside and then slid it open a couple inches. "Master Splinter, may I come in?"

Splinters voice came from within, "Enter my Son."

Leo slid the door so that he could slip inside. Again, just as he had left it earlier that night, incense burned. Candles lit the room in a soft warm light. Splinter was in the centre of the room, gliding through a complicated kata, his movements fluid, like water. He stopped and turned to face Leo, gesturing towards his bandaged shoulder.

"Are you alright, my son?"

Leo nodded, "Hai Sensei. May I sit with you?"

In response, Master Splinter knelt down and folded his legs under him. He gestured for Leo to approach and do the same next to him.

Sitting, Leo looked his Sensei in the eyes. Within them, there was such wisdom and understanding, inviting Leo to talk.

"Sensei, something happened tonight, with me. I don't know how to explain it, but I can do this…thing. And I always thought that it was a curse, but tonight it felt like an actual gift."

Splinter's whiskers twitched, "Many blessings come in disguise, my Son."

"It certainly was a blessing tonight."

"And what is this blessing that you are talking about?" Sensei asked.

Leo's breath hitched, "I don't think I can say. Not yet."

Master Splinter's eyes were soft with understanding, "When you are ready, I will be waiting."

"Thank you Sensei."

Leo pushed off the floor and walked to the door, leaving his Sensei to continue his kata work.

Heading back into the living room, Leo smiled as he observed his brothers. Raphael was lounging now on the couch, talking to Donnie, both of them still trying to figure out what had happened on the rooftop. Mikey was glancing back at them periodically, torn between talking and watching the old television set.

The sight warmed his heart and he walked forward to sit next to Mikey on the floor. His youngest brother beamed at him and Leo wrapped his arm around his brother's shell, hugging him tight.

And for the first time in a long time, Leo felt like everything was going to be okay.

**To be continued… **


	6. When the Levee Breaks

**Author's Note: **Hello and welcome to Chapter Six! In this chapter, the thoughts entering Leo's mind are represented in italics. Please remember to leave a review at the end! This was a super fun chapter to write. I hope you enjoy the read!

* * *

**Chapter Six: **When the Levee Breaks

**Three days later **

From where he stood in the kitchen, Leo winced, his head pounding again as he heard Casey yelling once more from the living room.

Leo sighed. It had already been a long morning. Upon waking up, he had found his limbs unusually aching and had practically peeled his skin away from his sweat drenched bed sheets. He had barely made it through his secret morning training, leaving the dojo panting.

"COME ON, YOU STUPID BALL!" Casey yelled at the pin ball machine, whilst he furiously mashed buttons and tilted the game, very much cheating.

On the lounge, April and Donnie sat together, each with a cup of steaming hot instant noodles. Donnie rolled his eyes. "Yelling at it isn't going to help, _Casey_."

Casey was fixated on the game, but yelled over the sound effects coming from the machine. "Yeah, well you wouldn't know Don, 'cause all of your high scores have just been _obliterated _by the one and only_ Casey_ _Jones_!"

Even from where he stood in the kitchen, Leo could see the annoyance on Donnie's face.

"Let it go Don," April said softly, before Leo's brother could reply.

Leo stood at the kitchen bench, surveying the scene whilst glancing up at the ticking clock every few seconds, which was nailed into the wall on an angle above the fridge. Raph and Mikey had been gone for too long. The ticking intensified in Leo's ears as his heightened senses focussed on it. Leo drummed his fingers along the bench, nervous for his brothers. His head was aching, though his walls were strong. The wound on his shoulder was itching under the bandage; but it was more so annoying rather than painful.

Leo wiped a sheen of sweat from his forehead, surprised to find his own skin hotter than usual, but he disregarded this quickly, too concerned for his family.

"Leo, they're probably fine," April reassured from the couch. "Maybe they're just being extra careful tonight."

Leo shook his head, making himself dizzy slightly. "This is Raph and Mikey we're talking about – they aren't careful. I should have gone with them."

"They're just picking up a movie," Donnie interjected, "they'll be back any second now."

Leo opened his mouth to speak but just then Raphael emerged from the darkness of the abandoned train station, pushing through the ticket scanners where people once would have queued. In his hands was a battered DVD copy of 'Alien'. Behind him and walking slightly slower, was Mikey, keeping his head down.

"Get some ice on that," Raph muttered to Mikey, who nodded.

Leo narrowed his eyes, "What happened?"

Mikey walked past him, avoiding eye contact and instead going to the freezer. Ice-cream Kitty meowed upon the door opening. Leo could hear his youngest brother talking to his pet. He could hear the pain in his brother's voice.

"Anything in there that could help this?" Mikey asked Ice-cream Kitty, whilst gesturing towards his own face.

There was a rustling and then Mikey grabbed something from his cat, "Thanks delicious Ice-cream Kitty. You got my back."

Mikey closed the freezer, revealing that he was holding a bag of frozen peas up to his right eye.

Leo sighed. "Mikey, just tell me what happened."

Raphael jammed the DVD into the player in the living room. "So we got into a little punch up," he said, over his shoulder, "it's no big deal."

Leo raised his hand to gently pry the bag of peas from Mikey's eye. What he saw made him gasp. Under his bandana, Leo could see the already purple and black bruising surrounding Michelangelo's eye. The swelling was making his bandana bulge and fit awkwardly. Tenderly, Leo slid the orange fabric up and off Mikey's battered face. Without the mask, Leo could see that Mikey's right eye was almost swollen shut. Anger built in Leo's chest and he felt the pull in his gut as his telekinesis responded, but he took a steady breath, knowing full well that he had no choice but to keep his emotions in check. He was in control. Since saving his brothers, he knew that he could remain in control.

He turned to Raphael, pointing back at Mikey's blackened eye. "This is no big deal to you, Raph?"

Casey turned off the pin ball machine and a stiff silence filled the Lair. April was stirring her noodles, trying to look busy and Donnie glanced between Leo and Raph as the tension rose.

"It's just a black eye Leo," Raphael replied, "we've had worse."

Leo gave the packet of frozen peas back to Mikey, who cringed as he held the packet back up to his face. "You okay?" Leo asked.

Mikey smiled lopsidedly at him, "Yeah dude, don't worry. It looks worse than it feels."

Leo could tell that Mikey was trying to put on a brave face, "Anywhere else hurt?"

Mikey shook his head. "Just the eye. It's my fault really; I should've been quicker. The dude's crowbar just clipped me."

Mikey trudged past him and slumped into his seat next to Donnie on the sofa, who immediately began checking him for further injuries, whilst Mikey squirmed under his gentle touches, insisting that he was fine and didn't need anything.

Watching them, Leo was grateful for Donnie.

Raphael was staring hard into the television set, as the pre-movie ads played. Leo could tell that he was brooding by the tightness in his brother's shoulders and the way that he hunched in on himself, as if he was trying to ignore the world around him.

Leo walked over to stand deliberately in front of the old television set, just as the menu select screen for 'Alien' faded in. He felt a single bead of sweat drip from his beak, but he kept his voice firm. "Raphael, you know that if you spot trouble, you _call _us. You don't rush in."

Raph crossed his arms. "There were only three guys!"

"And yet," Leo interjected, "Mikey comes home with a black hole for an eye! What were you thinking?!"

"I was thinking that we actually had a chance to do something good! They were robbing a store, Leo. We couldn't just sit back and watch it happen!"

"What would you have done if the crowbar had been a gun, huh Raph?"

"But it wasn't!"

"I don't care!" Leo threw up his hands, frustrated. He could feel his emotions boiling and his gut tightening. Again, he took a steady breath, calming himself and not allowing his unruly telekinesis to get the better of him. His walls still were up and holding strong; no thoughts allowed in. "What would have happened if one of you were seriously hurt? Do you even think before just rushing in?"

Raph stood up from the couch, his husky voice seething, "You know I do."

"Yeah, well, you have a funny way of showing it," Leo retorted.

Raph's eyes flashed with anger and in one swift movement he shoved Leo in the chest, avoiding his injured shoulder but making him stagger backwards a few paces, his shell clattering against the TV.

Leo's skin erupted in pain. He hadn't been prepared for the sudden touch. He hadn't expected his brother to lash out. With his heightened senses, the slight shove felt like a coward punch from a pro-wrestler and in the shock, his concentration on maintaining a solid wall in his mind faltered and a brick came lose, falling in his mind with a heavy thud. Thoughts immediately flooded in:

_I thought he'd be fucking proud! I tried to do the right thing! Why can't I ever do the right thing?! _Raphael's thoughts invaded Leo's mind, enraged and hurting.

_I should have been faster, _Mikey thought. _If I had moved faster, Leo and Raphie wouldn't be fighting. Uugh, my head hurts. _

_He looks concussed, _Donnie worried, still checking Mikey over. _I should test his pupil dilation. _

_Oooo, they're totally gonna fight. Bets on Raph kicking Leo's shell, _Casey thought. Leo could see the smirk on his face.

_I should get Master Splinter. _April's thoughts were calm and level headed. B_efore things get out of hand. Leo won't let it get out of hand, right?_

_Leo, whoa whoa, why doesn't he look good? _Raphael's angered thoughts suddenly turned into concern.

Leo looked into Raph's worried eyes and tried to concentrate on fixing the wall inside his head. His legs were trembling and his head was throbbing.

"Just play the movie," Leo stated, trying desperately to fix the wall inside his head, but finding that the bricks were unmoving, like they suddenly weighed a thousand pounds in his own mind.

His chest tightened with anxiety.

He found room on the floor of the living room to the left of the couch. He sat, his shell connecting to the cold concrete and sending a shiver up his spine whilst the thoughts of his family and friends continued to streamline into his brain.

* * *

Leo was cold, shivering slightly where he sat on the cool cement. Ten minutes ago, with his uninjured arm, he had pulled a blanket from the couch and had draped it over his shoulders. He had pulled his legs up to his chest, trying to capture some of his own body warmth within. It hadn't helped.

He was squinting at the television as the character named Dallas desperately scrambled down a ladder in the dark. He turned and then there was a loud screech as the Alien leapt upon him-

"SHIT!" Raph swore from the couch.

Leo turned, wincing at Raphael's loud exclamation. His brother's eyes were glued to the screen, his lips unmoving. Leo heard his thoughts though: _I just would've shot the damn thing. Just shoot it…_

Mikey was watching the movie through his fingers; his thoughts terrified. _It's not real, it's not real. It can't get you…_

Casey and April were huddled together. April had her face buried in Casey's chest in fear whilst Donnie from the opposite side of the couch was watching the two of them, scowling.

Casey's thoughts were loud and boasting, as he threw a teasing look towards Donnie. _Eat shit, Donnie. Red chooses me... _

April seemed oblivious to what was happening, her mind only on the movie. _Why did Raph choose this one? He knows I hate horror movies…_

Donnie was fuming. _How can April go to him? What does he have that I don't? _

Leo shivered.

Again, he retreated into his own mind, closing his eyes for a moment and breathing deeply, tapping into meditation methods. The bricks still were littered at the base of his wall, too heavy to replace. Leo opened his eyes, but found that he could no longer focus on the movie screen, the picture becoming blurry as the thoughts of everyone around him continued to invade his mind:

_Just shoot the fucker!  
__Shit, shit, SHIT!  
__I can't watch. This is too scary…  
__LOOK OUT!  
There it is!_

Leo squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the noise, but to no avail.

Standing on shaking legs, the blanket around his shoulders fell away.

"Where you going, Leo?" Raph asked from his bean-bag.

Leo looked towards his brother, unable to block out his brother's concerned thoughts as they entered his mind.

W_hoa, he looks like crap. _

"To the dojo, to meditate," Leo managed as he began to half stumble and half walk away.

"Do you want us to pause the movie?" Mikey yelled out after him. "We can finish it later."

On instinct Leo began to wave his right arm into the air, to signal back at Mikey, but jolted when a hot pain shot from his injured shoulder, burning right down into his fingertips. He clutched his arm to his stomach, instead calling back at his family. "N-no. It's okay. You guys have fun."

Leo reached the dojo and only just managed to slide the door closed behind him, before his legs buckled underneath him, sending him harshly to his hands and knees.

* * *

On all fours, Leo tried his best to remain calm. His vision bobbed in and out of focus, darkening around the edges. The wound on his shoulder burned, sending fire up his neck with each breath he took.

He slowed his mind and focussed on his breathing, like he had done so many time before.

Breath in.

And out.

He looked within himself.

Breath in.

And out.

He found the wall in his mind and his panic only increased. New cracks were appearing and bricks one by one were falling to thump to the ground with dreading finality.

Breath in.

And out.

Leo focussed, trying desperately to re-place a single brick, but then a violent pain shot from his shoulder, rippling through his body.

He screamed.

And in that moment, he felt his entire wall crumble, turning into dust before wafting away into the darkest corners of his mind.

Instantly, Leo heard the thoughts of his brothers as they ran towards the dojo.

_LEOOO!  
What in the hell was that?  
LEO! _

The dojo's doors flew open with a crack.

Looking up and through his own tears, Leo could just barely make out the green shapes of his brothers along with April and Casey as they crouched around him.

He felt their hands on his shell, further sending ripples of pain through his body.

Donnie was kneeling in front of him on the ground, his purple bandana blurring into the green of his skin. His lips were moving but Leo couldn't make out the words as the noise and panic in his own mind was too loud, with the thoughts of his brothers and friends colliding and crashing together.

_LEO!  
WHATS WRONG WITH HIM?!  
Leo!  
OH MY GOD…  
He doesn't look good.  
Why isn't he answering?  
LEO! _

Leo breathed. He looked up, his heart thumping in his chest and his breath hitching on his words, "It's a-al-alrigh-t. I'm o-okay."

There was a pressure on each of his shoulders as Donatello attempted to pick him up off the floor and then he felt additional hands hook under his own arm pits as his brothers tried to help. Half way towards standing however, agony shot from his shoulder, turning his vision white and his gut tightened as his telekinesis responded, inducing only more panic from Leo. With the little strength he had, Leo kicked out, struggling against his family's assistance.

"NO! D-DON'T TOUCH M-M-ME! LEMME GO!"

His flailing sent him crashing back to the ground, with it rising up fast and inducing nausea. Back on his hands and knees once more, Leo heaved, vomit burning his throat as it made its way up his throat to spew from his mouth. His whole body shook as he emptied his stomach, over and over again, retching onto the once clean carpet of the dojo.

He couldn't stop his brothers thoughts from entering his mind.

_Oh god Leo…  
It's okay…it's okay...  
Shit Leo... _

Once there was nothing left to vomit, Leo swallowed, rocking back onto his shell to sit against the door of the dojo, trying to catch his breath.

He breathed, waiting for his vision to clear and having no choice by to listen to his family's inner concerns.

_Okay…nice job brother…  
Just breathe Leo…  
What's happening to him? _

Slowly, he blinked the white spots in his vision away and the anxious faces of his brothers and friends came into focus as they huddled around him.

"How you feeling?" Raphael asked. _He doesn't look good… _

Leo shook his head and with the movement the nausea returned, forcing him to swallow in order to keep himself from throwing up again. "Could b-be better," he muttered.

To his left Mikey looked as though he was about to cry, "What's wrong with him Don?" _Is he going to die? _

Donnie's eyes were scanning him, but landed on his bandaged shoulder, his worried thoughts racing. _This isn't good. I thought I cleaned his wound…I swear I did…_

Straight ahead, Leo watched as Donnie reached towards him. Instinctively, Leo recoiled away from his brother's hands, fearing what might happen. "No D-Don, please…"

Donnie held up his hands in surrender, "I just want to take your bandage off Leo. I only want to look, I promise."

Leo swallowed. He nodded. "O-okay…"

Donnie reached forward again and gently began unwinding the bandage which was wrapped around Leo's shoulder, chest and shell. After a few short minutes of Leo focussing on his breathing, the bandage fell away and the eyes of his family widened. April gasped and Casey took a step back, his face suddenly turning a pale grey.

Their thoughts were that of disgusted terror.

_Oh my god…  
What is that?  
I'm gonna hurl…  
Leo…  
What the shell… _

Nervous of what he mind find, Leo glanced down at the wound on his shoulder.

At the sight, he heaved again, turning his head and vomiting but only managing to bring up bile, spitting it onto the floor.

He looked again.

A pale yellow puss oozed from the stitched wound whilst the surrounding skin was inflamed. The smell coming from the wound was putrid but even more discerning were the popping black veins which ran across his plastron, like a twisted cross word puzzle, originating from the wound.

Donnie's hand hovered over the wound, without touching it. "Leo…I think you've been…poisoned."

The word hung in the air.

Thoughts that weren't his continued to flood into Leo's brain and he scrunched his eyes, trying to make sense of everything. The poison, he guessed, was preventing him from re-building his wall, as for the first time in his life, his mind and body were completely unbalanced. His immune system was broken, fighting against something that it didn't understand.

"C-can y-you fix it?" Leo managed.

"The Odachi must have been laced," Donnie guessed. "I need the weapon to identity the poison. Once I figure out what poison was used, I can develop a cure."

Leo nodded. "The rooftop. The Odachi might still be-"

Involuntarily, Leo's mouth abruptly clamped shut. With shame, he tasted blood and realised that he had bit down on his own tongue. A metallic taste filled his mouth and he felt the warm substance dribbling down his chin. He was aware of a tingling sensation travelling up his arm and he screamed as it reached his wound, as it felt like thousands of bugs were crawling underneath his skin, endeavouring desperately to burst out through the sutures.

In front of him the expressions on his brother's faces morphed from concern into pure horror, their eyes widening.

"Leo, Leo what's happening?" Raphael questioned. _Fuck! Leo, come on brother..._

And then everything became a haze.

Vaguely Leo felt his shell lift up from the dojo's floor, only to feel it slam back down, his spine attempting to contort, but his shell stopping him from doing so.

He felt hands on him, holding him down.

He gasped, struggling for air, desperately trying to intake oxygen. His lungs were exploding. His neck was contorting. His vision was darkening.

And then there was a pull in his stomach.

Leo tried to hold the energy back with sheer will.

But then his body twisted upwards again as another convulsion took its toll.

And with the movement, a unruly raw energy exploded from within him, like someone had pulled a grenade in his stomach. The energy blasted outwards, like a force-field. The hands holding him were ripped away as his brothers and friends were launched across the dojo to opposite ends of the room.

In a dull haze, Leo watched, as Mikey's shell clattered into the weapons rack. Half conscious, Leo still tried to extend his telekinesis again in order to stop the weapons from falling on his younger brother, but it was too late as a mace smashed against his brother's leg. Mikey screamed.

Leo watched, powerless, as Donnie was flung against the oak tree which stood in the middle of the dojo, his head slamming against the tree's trunk before his body slumped to the ground, unmoving and knocking over lit candle stands.

Leo watched as Raphael's body contorted in the air, disappearing through the paper doors of the dojo, as his body ripped through the Japanese designed doors.

He watched as April and Casey were flung straight upwards, hitting the roof before slamming back down onto the ground, unconscious but groaning in pain.

His mind was foggy.

Everything was wrong.

His eyes drifted to close but then he snapped them open again. He had to stay awake. He had to help his brothers.

Leo groggily pushed himself up into a sitting position, exhaustion making his limbs feel weighted.

"Leo? What…"

A voice came from behind him.

In a daze, Leo turned to see Raphael leaning on the destroyed door of the dojo, heavily breathing. Blood was leaking down his face from a deep slice on his cheekbone. Leo tried to find words but couldn't, his mouth opening and then closing again. His arm was still spasming, his fingers distorting.

Raphael's muddled thoughts entered Leo's brain. _What just happened? What…oh god Mikey…_

Raphael's thoughts turned from curiosity to concern as he rushed across the dojo, glancing at Donnie who was also stirring.

Donnie's thoughts were blurred as he was regaining consciousness. _How….Leo…what…_

Leo watched as Casey picked April up from the floor, holding her steady as she swayed on her feet. They looked towards him then, with a look that Leo had never seen in their eyes. It was the same look that strangers gave him. It was the same look that enemies gave him before Leo would cut them down. It was a look of fear.

And Leo knew that he was deserving of it.

He had done this.

He had hurt them all.

Mikey was clutching his broken leg. Even from where Leo sat, he could see that it was badly broken, with the splintered bone protruding his skin, whilst Raph was rubbing comforting circles into Mikey's shell, muttering words of support. Mikey looked at Leo then, confused and with tears in his eyes.

Mikey's thoughts were fragmented, as they entered Leo's mind, with his brother barely holding on.

Leo swallowed.

He had hurt everyone.

Donnie was clambering to his feet whilst the oak tree behind him was suddenly alight, the knocked over candles setting it on fire. The fire roared, soaring up the tree at a rapid rate.

"EVERYONE OUT!" Raphael shouted, as he picked up Mikey bridal style. "GO!"

Carrying a whimpering Mikey, Raphael ran past Leo and out from the dojo, followed quickly by Casey and April, who barely even looked at Leo as they ran, ignoring him, maybe out of fear or anger. Or both.

Leo watched as Donnie backed slowly away from the fire, as it burned high and consumed the once beautiful oak tree which had been in the centre of the lives for over fifteen years.

With shaking arms, Leo pushed himself off the ground and found that an arm was in fact being wrapped around his shell, holding him steady.

He looked over to find Donnie watching him.

And then together they limped out of the burning dojo.

* * *

The living room was in utter chaos.

Raphael, Master Splinter, April and Casey were running from the sewer, with buckets of water, splashing the contents of their buckets onto the flames which had already reached the dojo's doors, before running back to refill their buckets again.

Mikey was on the couch, clutching his leg and crying. He glanced towards Leo, but then looked away again, sniffling. His thoughts pierced Leo's heart, as they were so full of ache and confusion.

_Why Leo? Why? This hurts so much…why…ahhhhh! _

Leo turned his head to see Donatello also watching him, his thoughts as clear as crystal in Leo's mind.

_I don't understand Leo. How did you do this? It's okay, just let me understand…let me help..._

Leo stepped away from Donatello, his legs shaking but his decision already made.

He had hurt them all and with this poison in his veins, he knew that he would continue to hurt them. He didn't need his brothers to understand; he only needed them to be safe. That was his mission in life after-all and if it meant that he couldn't be in their lives, then so be it.

Leo looked towards the entrance to the Lair, knowing that he couldn't stay.

The flames behind him began to simmer, as his family members managed to take back control from the raging fire, with their vigorous buckets of water.

Their trips slowed until finally they stood at the entrance of the dojo, looking towards the burnt interior, their shoulders hunched in collective dismay as their livelihood was burnt to a crisp. Master Splinter was the first to look back at Leo, his face of fatherly concern.

Leo looked at each of his family members as they turned to face him. He looked at Mikey on the couch.

He tried to think of something to say; some kind of goodbye or even an explanation.

But there was nothing, nothing that he could do or say that could ever make this right, except for the two broken words which escaped his lips.

"I'm sorry."

And then he turned around, away from them.

And he ran.

**To be Continued…**

* * *

**Please remember to leave a review! Thanks heaps and stay safe out there! **


	7. One Final Choice

**Author's Note: **Hi there! Thank you for returning to my story! Here is chapter seven. Trigger warning for self harm - please don't read if this is something that you are struggling with. Please remember that you matter and that all wounds eventually heal with time. I am in no way an expert on mental health, but please seek help.

Please leave a review as your feedback keeps me writing. I hope you enjoy Chapter Seven!

* * *

**Chapter Seven: **One Final Choice

Pipes warped, their steel moaning in protest, as they were ripped apart and pulled towards Leo whilst he ran through the sewer, his feet splashing clumsily through algae ridden and blood chilling water.

A particularly large pipe to his left chose that moment to burst under the pressure of Leo's telekinesis and hot steam exploded in Leo's face, pulling another anguished scream from his throat as he billowed through the scorching cloud of vapour.

He just needed to get away.

Water ran up the walls of the sewer, fleeing from him, as again his telekinesis blew out yet another raw force field of power.

In the back of his mind, he could still hear the thoughts of his brothers.

Mikey was hurting in the Lair, desperate to help but unable to even stand. _Guys, please find him…please find him…gah this hurts so much…_

Donnie was already looking at Mikey, his thoughts muddled, as they entered Leo's mind. _Okay. I can do this. So I need to reset the bone…this is fine. Everything is fine. Wait, who I am kidding? No, I can do this. Oh god…_

Raphael's thoughts entered Leo's mind next, angry but aching. _Why didn't you just tell us Leo?! Come on bro. Shit! Come on, don't do this…_

Leo heard his name being called by Raphael, from somewhere behind him in the dark, his brother's voice panicked and pleading, echoing through the sewer but reaching him.

"LEO! COME BACK!"

Leo shook his head.

He couldn't go back.

He could never go back, ever again.

The wound in his shoulder pulsated and he glanced down to see the black poison spread further across his chest, filling his veins. He blinked back tears. He was going to die, but he had to do it alone.

There was a pull in his gut and bricks which were cemented into the sewer walls became projectiles, lunching themselves across the tunnel.

Leo scrunched his eyes.

He needed everything to stop.

He just needed to die.

He reached a ladder and felt the intricate bloom of mould underneath his fingers as he gripped the rusted metal. He began to climb and with each step, the ladder behind him folded in on itself, transforming into a mess of razor sharp steel, in order to prevent his family from following. Unable to climb any further due to reaching the ladder's end, Leo reached up and pushed the manhole cover aside and hauled himself onto the night shrouded street above.

"Goodbye Raphael," he whispered. "I'll miss you."

* * *

Without his wall, New York was overwhelming.

Leo ran faster across the rooftops of shops and apartments, sweat dripping from his head and into his shell. His muscles burned as he willed himself to run faster and harder and yet there was no escaping the thoughts which relentlessly invaded his mind.

It was too much.

Everything was too loud.

Thousands of scattered thoughts pounded in Leo's head, entering without permission and as he pelted past a water tank, his bandanna flapping behind him, he was unable to stop his telekinesis from reaching out and tearing the walls of the tank apart, exploding water across the roof.

Water lapped at his feet but Leo ignored it and prepared to jump over to the next building, increasing his speed and leaning forward.

His feet left the edge of the building.

And then his vision blurred.

Gravity pulled him towards the harsh ground below and with a yell Leo blindly reached out with his hands, only just catching the edge of the roof, his chest slamming into the side of the building.

The poisoned wound on his shoulder erupted in searing hot pain, as if his chest was on fire.

He felt the poison travel up his neck, causing his muscles to spasm.

A scream was torn from his throat and his telekinesis responded yet again, reaching out to the street below.

Powerlines sparked and disconnected, sling shotting across the street, becoming electrified lassos of death. Power poles cracked and began to fall, creating a domino effect as one after the other, they crashed to the ground, plummeting the street into darkness as the power grid short circuited.

Car alarms blasted and lights flashed

People began to walk out from their houses, gawking at the destruction and unknowingly filling Leo's head with their worried thoughts.

_Oh my god…  
Should we call 911?  
What is happening?  
Well that's just great...  
Shit... _

Leo clamped his eyes shut and hauled himself up onto the roof, only to collapse onto his shell, too tired and weak to continue. His muscles burned and his chest heaved as he tried to take in oxygen, his chest struggling to rise and fall with each ragged breath.

The night sky above him twinkled with the stars blinking at him sleepily from thousands of light years away. On any other night, it would have been peaceful.

Vaguely, Leo was aware that the fingers in his right hand were shuddering.

Leo turned to look at them but then the muscles in his arm tightened before relaxing again and he watched in horror as his elbow locked, snapping straight.

Leo could feel his heart hammering in his chest, as if it was a bird trying to escape his rib cage and blood rushed in his ears, dulling everything.

His gut tightened.

The shattering of glass pierced the night as the windows of the apartment below blew out.

Screams erupted from the street below.

"Stop it," Leo pleaded to himself, his arm still contorting whilst he watched as the cross word puzzle of black poison spread down through his limb now. "Please…just…please. Stop it…"

Salty tears streamed down his face.

He didn't want to hurt anyone.

He had chosen to run from his home, from his brothers, in order to keep them safe but now, fleeing across New York with his walls down and telekinesis completely out of control, responding purely to his emotions, he was _now_ putting additional lives at risk.

He couldn't stay, he knew that much.

Looking up at the night sky, Leo tried his best to wipe away his tears with his left hand.

"Please just tell me what to do," Leo pleaded the stars. "Please, just help me do one last good thing…"

A memory entered his mind then, of a refuge where Leo knew he would be able to slip away, without hurting his family or anyone ever again.

It was a place that he had vowed never to return to.

It was a place that he feared.

It was a place where he had taken a life.

And yet, looking up at the stars, Leo knew that it was where he was meant to go.

"Okay…okay…I can do this," Leo reassured himself, as he picked himself off from the rooftop's cold cement, his arm trembling and his legs shaking as he fought to stay upright.

He looked towards the downtown district and took his first unsteady steps towards where he knew the warehouse would be waiting.

* * *

The abandoned building stood as though it had been frozen in time, unchanged from when Leo has seen it last.

He ran towards the warehouse and made the final leap onto its tin roof, sliding down to the building's gutter, just as he had on that stormy fateful night one year ago.

Peering through the grime covered windows, Leo's breath hitched, as the inside the warehouse was just as he remembered it with the industrial shelves still occupying most of the space in neat rows whilst the forklift was still parked in the corner, dead for years. Dust dangled from the ceiling in stalactites and even more cobwebs had been cast over the walls and between the shelves of the few remaining unwanted goods.

Leo took a breath and pushed the window inwards.

But then he stopped as his eyes found a man lying in the middle of two shelves.

The dead man's mouth was ajar in a silent scream but hundreds of tiny cockroaches were crawling up from the depths of his throat to leave tracks of faeces across his ashen coloured face. His once kind eyes had sunken into his skull and his hair had decomposed, leaving only wisps of his once full beard. His hands were clasped at his stomach, where red blood stained his weathered jacket around where Leo's katana was embedded. Left in the warehouse to rot, the body had bloated and guts had spewed around the katana and onto the floor surrounding him.

Leo stifled a whimper, tearing his eyes away from the body.

He had called the authorities when he had killed the homeless man living in the warehouse.

He didn't understand.

Why was he still there?

It didn't make any sense.

Forcing himself to look back towards the aisle, Leo blinked in surprise as the aisle was empty. There was no body filled with cockroaches. There was no blood or gore. There was just…nothing.

Leo frowned and leaned forward into the warehouse. Looking between the aisles, Leo wrinkled his nose, as the smell of rotting flesh still lingered and wafted up from below him.

Leo looked down.

And then he came face to face with the dead man, who was clinging to the wall with one hand and reaching out with the other, his rotting flesh melting away from his bony finger. A cockroach crawled from his mouth as he opened his putrid green lips to speak.

"You're coming with me," he rasped.

He reached out and grabbed Leo's Katana strap which was around his chest. Leo flailed then, desperately swatting at the man's rotting arms, his own fingers pulling apart the man's skin as years of decay made his flesh like jelly.

"LET GO! LEAVE ME ALONE!" Leo yelled.

The man pulled and Leo tipped forward, unable to stop himself from falling from the window sill.

The ground rose up fast.

Leo's head smashed against the concrete.

And then he knew no more.

* * *

The throbbing in his head was the first sensation which came back to Leo.

In a daze, he reached up with his left hand and felt the back of his head, groaning when his hand touched a fresh wound, with his fingers coming away coated in sticky blood.

His eyes felt like they were glued shut with him struggling to open them, his eyes rolling in the darkness behind his closed lids. He felt the cold concrete under his plastron and tried grounding himself, pressing his hands against the ground in an attempt to ease his dizziness.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he peeled his eyes open and found himself laying on his stomach, disorientated and not quite remembering what had happened. His face was pressed against the concrete with puffs of dust billowing away from his mouth with each exhale.

He tried to remember what had happened.

Groaning, he recalled that there had been a fire in the Lair and that he had hurt his brothers and been forced to run.

Because…he was…dying. Poisoned.

Leo pushed himself upright and placed his shell against the wall.

He looked up at the windows high above him in the warehouse.

He had fallen from up there?

Leo scrunched his eyes closed, trying to remember why he had lost his balance.

And then it all came back to him.

He hurriedly found his feet, his head throbbing with the movement but he ignored the sensation, as he wildly scanned the warehouse for the decaying corpse.

And yet again, there was nothing.

There had always been nothing.

Leo shook his head, trying to make sense of the hallucination. He shrunk back down to the ground, not caring that his shell scratched against the wall in his decent.

Against the wall however, he smiled. His telekinesis had eased, finally dormant again and although unwanted thoughts still entered his mind, they were muffled and not quite forming sentences.

Leo knew enough about first aid from what Donnie had taught him, to tell that he had a concussion and maybe it was the fact that his head was so scrambled, which aided in keeping the thoughts at least on low volume.

Whatever it was, Leo was grateful, finally just resting in the serenity of the empty warehouse, focussing on his breathing.

Breath in.

And out.

Breath in.

And out.

Leo steadied his mind.

He knew what he had to do.

He refused to die from poison, grovelling in the dirt and choking on his own blood until his heart stopped.

He could do this one final thing and die by his own hand.

With as much grace that he could muster, Leo reached up and unsheathed one of his Katana blades.

He held the gleaming weapon in his hands, his face reflected in the metal back up at him.

He barely recognised himself.

His skin was a pale green and almost transparent. Dark crimson blood ran down the side of his face. The black poison had reached his fingertips in his right arm, numbing them, whilst it also stretched across his chest, covering his plastron in black spindling lines.

He closed his eyes and thought of his brothers and family.

"I'm so sorry guys," Leo said in the dark, as if his brothers could hear him. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I just wanted to protect you…"

Leo inhaled deeply, preparing himself and trying to relish in the sensation of oxygen filling his lungs.

This was the only way and strangely, Leo wasn't scared.

He was simply at peace, knowing what had to be done to keep everyone he loved safe.

Opening his eyes, Leo raised his Katana so that it was directly in line with his heart.

He drew his last breath but steadied himself, accepting his fate.

"I'M SORRY!" he screamed.

And then he thrusted the Katana blade towards his chest to deliver the fatal blow which would end everything.

* * *

Except he couldn't.

The blade's tip was in his chest, stinging and drawing blood from his plastron, but his arms wouldn't drive the blade any further, held back by a physical force working against him.

"NOOOO!" Leo screamed.

Again, he tried to plummet the blade into his chest with more resolve, but there was that same awful pull in his gut and his hands simply shook against the force that was being emitted from within him.

"COME ON!" Leo cried in anguish. "LET ME FUCKING DO THIS!"

He gripped the hilt of his Katana with both hands now and pushed against the force with all the strength that he could muster. The Katana embedded itself further into his chest, slicing through and then-

Raw power exploded from his stomach, expanding outwards, ripping his Katana blade from his hand and sending the weapon clattering to the floor. The industrial shelves around him tipped simultaneously, the goods on their shelves sliding to the ground before one by one, the mammoth shelves fell, billowing dust all around in giant clouds of grey.

Leo sat with his head to his chest, defeated.

A cough was what made him raise his head, as he wetly hacked into the crook of his arm, his eyes widening at the blood which was left there once the coughing fit had subsided.

And then, in the eerie silence of the warehouse, panic began to envelop him.

He was going to die, alone and afraid and in pain.

He was unable to do the one thing that he thought he still had control over but even the ability to take his own life had been stolen from him, with his telekinesis clinging onto the one tiny part of him that wanted to live.

The muscles in his neck contorted involuntarily, pushing his head to the side, and his spine arched in agony against the hard wall behind him.

Tears began to stream down his face then as the muscles throughout his body began to spasm. He listed sideways and crashed into the floor, unable to use his locked up arms to cushion the fall.

And there, on the cold hard floor of the warehouse where he had killed, Leo finally gave in to everything, his crying turning into uncontrollable sobs as his body occasionally seized with the poison spreading.

And there he waited for the darkness of death to consume him.

**To be Continued…**

* * *

**Please leave a review on this chapter! Thank you! **


	8. Towards the Light

**Author's Note: **Hello again and thank you for clicking on this new chapter! I'm sorry about the longer wait for chapter eight to be posted but I hope you like it all the same. Please leave a review if you enjoy the read!

* * *

**Chapter Eight**: Towards the Light

"-eo? Come…on…broth-. Wa- up. Plea…come ba-…Leo. Please…

In the cold and dark nothingness, a familiar voice was calling out for him, pleading him to come back towards the light.

But, Leo was sinking.

He could feel it; his body was being pulled further and further down into the final dark, the coolness enveloping in and dulling everything. Slowly, he began to forget where or even _who_ he was, as everything simply slipped away, like a melted down candle barely clinging to life.

He was empty and weightless in the darkness, drifting along in the absolute silence.

Except it wasn't silent, as the voice again called out for him again, more desperate this time and piercing through the veil.

"-ease Leo! Come on, -n't -eave us. Please, don't leave m-me…"

Someone needed him.

Leo focused and reached upwards towards the voice, trying to somehow wade his way out from the clutches of death. The voice became clearer.

"Come on Leo. Please brother, just come back. Wake up, Leo. Please…"

Leo knew the voice.

_Please, please Leo. Don't die in my arms. Don't you even think about it. Don't you fucking go! WAKE UP! COME ON! _

Leo knew those angry rash thoughts.

Raphael.

Raph was with him.

Warmth pierced through the cold darkness then, as Leo suddenly felt a hand placed on the side of his face, cradling his head ever so gently and turning it to the side for fingers to push against his neck, feeling frantically for a pulse.

The warm touch electrified Leo's senses and reality slammed back into him, bringing with it a pain which was throbbing across his entire body, aching, burning and freezing at the same time. He felt himself shivering, his fingers vibrating on the cold cement floor beneath him, his body unable to process the pain and going into shock.

"That's it Leo. I know you can hear me!"

Leo grounded himself in his brother's voice, pushing aside his vertigo and attempting to open his eyes which still rolled around in the darkness, glued shut with sticky crust.

He could hear the violent hammering of his heart beat, as it rang in his ears, his body desperately trying to keep him alive.

Leo drew his attention to his right arm and attempted to reach upwards towards Raphael and instantly he felt the calloused and strong three fingered hand of Raphael grip onto his own.

"Yes! Yes, that's it Leo. Squeeze my hand if you can hear me. Come on bro…"

Leo breathed and focused on his hand, managing to tighten his fingers around Raphael's own three, ever so slightly, before releasing again.

"Okay, okay, I hear you. You gotta open those eyes for me now bro. No sleeping, alright?"

Leo felt the crust over his eyes cracking as he struggled to slowly open his lids. Leo blinked, his vision swirling but slowly coming into focus as his eyes landed on Raphael's red bandanna. Above him, Raphael smiled encouragingly, absolute relief washing over his face.

"Good job Leo," Raphael said. "Just stay still and breathe."

Leo tried to do as asked, taking a ragged breath in, but the air burned his throat, inducing a coughing fit which sprayed flecks of blood onto his plastron.

There was a pressure on his chest and Leo looked down to see that Raphael was pressing hard against the Katana wound, trying to stem the blood which was still dripping from the wound.

"S-sorry," Leo whispered. "I'm s-s-so so-rry."

Raphael shook his head whilst fumbling for his t-phone with his other hand, finding it on his belt before he hurriedly punched in a number, pressing far too hard on the buttons. Leo frowned. He didn't understand. He had hurt everyone. He had ran and yet his brother was still there with him and looked down at him with love and understanding. Leo watched as Raphael recklessly allowed the phone to clatter to the floor, near to his own head.

"You've nothing to be sorry for," Raph said as the phone rang.

The t-phone stopped ringing and Casey's voice came through as he picked up the line.

"Raph? You better be calling with good news man. April and I found the Odachi but we've been searching all over town for Leo and we've just got nothin' man."

"I found him," Raph replied. "We're at the abandoned lot of warehouses downtown, off Canal street."

Casey's voice rang through the t-phone, along with the screeching of tires. "We'll be there in ten minutes."

"Make it five," Raph replied before cutting off the call.

_Leo doesn't have long…he just doesn't have long…_

Raphael's thoughts seeped into Leo's head.

In the back of his throat, Leo groaned, trying to block out the crippling pain which engulfed his entire body. Everything ached. His hands were clammy with sweat and he could feel his chest tightening as the poison leaked into his veins. His shoulder burned. He looked down at his shoulder and grimaced. The black spindle-like lines of poison covered his entire plastron now and travelled down both arms. Leo looked away.

The warehouse surrounding him and Raphael was utterly destroyed. Windows had been shattered from Leo's telekinetic blast of energy, allowing a cool bite of wind to enter the warehouse and the once upright shelves were in ruins on the ground, with Leo and Raph at their epicentre. Leo squinted up at his brother, struggling to make out his face but needing to warn him all the same. "Y-you sh-shouldn't b-be here," he whispered. "I don't want to hurt you."

Again, Raphael shook his head. "You won't. I trust you."

Leo breathed wetly, a rattling coming from his chest. "I c-can't contr-ol it any-anymore. Please-"

"Cut the crap Leo," Raphael firmly interjected. "I'm not leaving you here, no matter what you say. Ya got that?!"

Leo's eyes sunk closed but he snapped them open again as a mild convulsion shook his body, making his legs shudder involuntarily. His gut tightened as his telekinesis responded to the pain and he held his breath, ready for his brother to be propelled skyward or worse, but the power burst never came. Leo breathed out and focused on his brother and on the grounding feeling of his hand on his chest, stemming the blood. "Got it. Is M-Mikey okay?"

Above him Raphael's smile wavered. "Yeah, he was pretty banged up but Donnie said that he could fix him. He'll be f-"

"Raph!"

April's voice rang through the warehouse and suddenly she and Casey were there also, leaning over Leo, their worried faces taking up Leo's vision.

April brought her hands to her mouth in shock. "Oh Leo…"

Casey was holding the Shell Raiser's keys, rattling them to emphasise his point. "We parked out front, as close as we could. Think you can manage the walk?"

Leo nodded and tried his very hardest not to vomit or pass out as he was pulled gently to his feet.

He succeeded in neither.

* * *

"Gah, Raph-"

Laying on the floor of the Shell Raiser, Leo couldn't help the plea that slipped from his mouth. He scrunched his eyes together as the muscles in his neck contorted. Suddenly he gasped, as his airways felt as though they had closed, his muscles spasming. His lungs seared, abruptly starved of oxygen. Instinctively he reached out towards Raphael who was hovering above him, still talking to Donnie on his t-phone, just like he had been for the last 10 minutes of the drive, relaying to Donnie everything which was happening.

Raphael pulled the phone away from his head for a moment and clasped Leo's outstretched hand.

"Breathe Leo," Raphael urged. "You gotta breathe man."

"I'm t-tryying," Leo wheezed.

His airways constricted, tightening further and Leo gulped for air, but received nothing. White spots bobbed around his brother's head as Raphael begged him to breathe again and the colours within the Shell Raiser began to blur together.

"Just fucking breathe Leo!" Raphael urged, his voice sounding distant.

Leo chocked and gasped, his eyes bulging as if they were about to pop out from his head.

Vaguely, he registered hands on him as Raphael gripped him by the shoulders.

_No-no-no-no- _

Even struggling to breath, Raphael's thoughts seeped into Leo's brain, mixed in with April's and Casey's.

_This can't be happening, _April denied, worriedly watching from the front passenger seat with the Odachi blade carefully sitting on her lap.

_But we're so close to the Lair, _Casey thought. _Come on, drive faster! _

Leo could just barely make out that Raphael's lips were moving as he spoke to him, but his words were lost on him, unheard as he frantically wheezed and struggled for life sustaining air. Raphael yelled something into the phone. Darkness pressed in around Leo's vision.

There was a tug in his gut.

Leo's panic rose for a second more.

He needed to warn his family.

"R-Ra-," Leo struggled. "I cn't-t s-stop it-"

SCREECH!

The wheels of the Shell Raiser lost all traction with the road, the vehicle hurtled sideways, sliding across the bitumen as a wave of Leo's telekinetic energy hurtled out from within him and pushed against one side of the vehicle.

"SHIT," Casey yelled.

Leo was pressed against the floor by his brother, Raphael practically laying on top of him in order to prevent him rolling and slamming into the side of the Shell Raiser. Together, they slid, Leo's shell scratching against the floor.

The Shell Raiser swung back straight again, driving on.

"That was close," Casey breathed. "You guys okay back there?"

Leo took a ragged breath and revelled when oxygen flooded into his lungs, his neck no longer twisting and contorting against his will. Atop him Raphael sat up and nodded.

"Yeah, we're okay, right Leo?"

Leo gave him a shaky thumbs up.

It was all he could manage.

* * *

Leo didn't really remember making it to the Lair.

He did, however, know the definite pang of guilt as he was held upright and guided by Raphael and Master Splinter past the scorched doors of the dojo. The doors were ruined; the once beautiful Japanese artwork was unrecognisable due to the charring and the umber panels were smoking in places, with glowing red embers still in the wood.

"It is in the past, my Son," Master Splinter reassured from one side of Leo. "There is no need to dwell on it."

Turning his head away from the destruction that he had created, Leo's legs trembled as he took each unsteady step towards Donatello's lab.

_Just a little further, _encouraged Raphael in his own mind, his thoughts leaking into Leo's head.

_Okay okay, I just need to turn the serum. This should work…this better work…this __**has**__ to work. _Donnie's thoughts were crashing and colliding as Leo's genius of a brother tried to create a antidote. His rambling thoughts ached in Leo's head.

Leo's wall was gone.

He had neither the energy nor even the ability to rebuild it.

Walking into the lab, Leo squinted at the harsh lighting. Casey and April were already assisting Donnie in making an antidote, but instantly Leo's eyes fell upon the all too still figure of Mikey, laying on a lab bench with his leg elevated, wrapped and held together with a makeshift splint. Mikey's eyes were closed and his body unmoving. Instinctively, Leo pulled towards him, abandoning his own path towards another vacant bench and breaking free of his family's gentle hold, almost forgetting about the unadulterated pain rippling across his entire body as he stumbled towards his brother, almost crashing into him.

"Mikey?" Leo's heart was in his throat.

He had done this.

He had hurt his brothers, Michelangelo most of all.

"Mikey, can you hear me?" Leo repeated himself, his voice cracking with desperation for his brother's eyes to flicker open and for that goofy smile to light up his face before he would tell Leo that it was just a prank and that he was fine.

Instead, Mikey remained uncharacteristically quiet, his chest rising and falling, his face too peaceful and too pale.

"I had to give him a mild sedation in order to set his leg," Donnie informed from his work bench, where chemicals bubbled and brewed, calling over his shoulder whilst he hands still stirred and flurried over what Leo assumed was an antidote. "He's just sleeping Leo."

Poison pumping through his veins or not, Leo would have stayed right by his brother's side all night if he could have, but it was at that precise moment that he legs decided to finally give out, his knees buckling. And suddenly he was falling backwards.

He would have collided with the labs floor if Raphael and Master Splinter hadn't caught him once more, one arm under each armpit, each taking a side and catching him before he could truly fall.

Leo scrambled, trying to find his feet, but his legs were numb and uncontrollable. The floor beneath him suddenly became waves, uneven and furthering the feeling that he was about to vomit everywhere. His eyes rolled, everything becoming hazy.

"Whoa whoa, steady Leo," Raphael told him.

The thoughts of those around him continuously streamed into Leo's head.

_I just need three more minutes, _Donnie pleaded, glancing over to Leo as he was guided to the second lab bench, which had been cleared as a makeshift bed.

_Just sit down before I make you, _Raphael thought, although his face was still showing that of unusual kindness.

Leo knew that he had to look like utter crap for Raphael to be this gentle.

_My hands are shaking, _April worried as she carefully stirred another liquid under the direction of Donnie. _What if it damages the antidote?_ April looked towards Donatello."Donnie, am I doing this right?"

Casey looked over towards Leo and their eyes locked. _Come on Casey. Pull yourself together man. It's just Leo…I don't get what the hell is happening, but he's your friend. You got him home, because he's my friend! He's just Leo…_

Leo looked away, casting his gaze downwards. His friend was right in doubting him. He was dangerous. Maybe he would leave after the antidote was administered and save them all the trouble of telling him to get out. Raphael had assured him that they wouldn't leave him, but he was still dangerous. He needed to find somewhere completely isolated, where he could live out the rest of his days without hurting anyone, especially his family.

That was if he made it through.

Maybe dying of poison wouldn't be the worse thing to happen.

_Two more minutes and I'll have the antidote, _Donnie's thoughts interjected into Leo's brain. _Almost there…_

Donnie's thoughts snapped Leo back to attention and he realised that he had been supported up onto the bench. A shiver found its way into his neck and travelled down his spine from where his head touched the cold lab bench.

Master Splinter must have noticed, as carefully Leo's head was lifted by caring fur covered hands before a pillow was placed underneath. Leo wanted to say thank you but wasn't sure where to direct his attention, with the roof of the lab twirling.

The blurred faces of Raphael and his Sensei came into view, hovering over him.

_Keep holding on, _Raphael thought. _Just keep hol-_

Raphael's thoughts abruptly stopped.

There was a confused moment where Leo looked up at his brother.

Everything became hazy, like a dream.

And then his head snapped against the bench, the pillow doing little to protect his head as it violently smashed backwards. Faster than he could blink, an agony unlike anything he had ever experienced erupted in the back of his skull, sending tidal waves of pain throughout his body, down to his very toes. Muscles across his body spasmed retardedly, like he had been hit with a lightning bolt, tightening and then releasing again. His spine arched and his shell lifted off from the bench. Vaguely Leo felt hands on him and Raphael was yelling.

"DONNIE! We need that antidote!"

"One more minute!" Leo heard Donnie call back.

"We don't have a minute, Don!"

Leo's gut twisted and tightened. Even in the throws of a seizure, Leo knew the feeling and it ripped him apart, as he knew what was coming.

Leo squeezed his eyes shut, trying to smother the telekinetic energy building within him. He held his breath, as if starving the telekinesis of oxygen would put the raging fire out.

His spine arched further against his shell and the scream which was pulled from his mouth was raw and wild.

An explosion detonated inside Leo's stomach and its telekinetic shock wave hit the lab, blowing apart experiments and sending apparatuses into the air.

Leo wanted it to stop.

He wanted everything to stop.

But his body contorted on the bench.

Airborne instruments of science, along with paper and debris began to swirl overhead with Leo in the centre of the tornado. Bricks were torn from the walls to join the fray and desks were uprooted and spun out of control, flying around the room becoming deadly missiles. His family and friends were yelling.

Raphael, gripping onto the bench above Leo, was shouting. "Donnie! Sedative or antidote! Now!"

"There's no sedation! The antidote won't work yet-"

Leo's head snapped to the side and his eyes widened as a desk hurtled towards Mikey who was still blissfully unaware of the chaos around him.

"NO!" Leo outstretched with his mind and the desk was flung backwards to crash against the wall with such a force that it splintered into pieces.

In the thick soup that was his brain, Leo somehow knew what had to be done.

"Gah! Raphael," Leo cried. "Punch me!"

"Don't!" Donnie yelled. "He might not ever wake up!"

"DO IT!" Leo yelled. "PLEASE!"

Salty tears streamed down Leo's face. He reached out to his brother and pleaded with his mind, trying to tell him that everything would be okay if he just did this one thing. 'Please,' Leo mouthed.

Raphael's face softened above him.

His reply was barely a whisper, but Leo heard it all the same.

"I'm sorry bro."

Raphael's fist connected with Leo's face, hard and swift.

Everything went black.

And Leo knew no more.

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

**Please remember to leave a review with your thoughts/feedback. Thanks! **


	9. Into the Dark

**Author's Note:** Thank you so much for all the reviews! I really do appreciate all the feedback and every single review puts a gigantic smile on my face. I'm terribly sorry about how long this chapter took to write and upload but I hope you all enjoy chapter nine!

* * *

**Chapter Nine: **Into the Dark

The dark place in which he found himself again was becoming all too familiar to Leo.

He felt the coolness on his skin and opened his eyes to find that the darkness above him seemed endless.

Blinking, Leo sat up and tried to shake away the haze that surrounded his mind. He squinted through the dark, searching for anything even resembling life but with a feeling of dread growing in his stomach, Leo only found that the space around him was ceaselessly black and simply empty.

"H-hello?" Leo called, his voice leaving his mouth huskier than he had expected. He coughed, clearing his throat, before trying again. "Hello? Anyone there?"

His voice rang out into the space, moving further and further away, until the call for help was swallowed up by the darkness altogether.

Leo breathed, reassuring himself. "Okay. Okay. This is fine. I'm fine…"

Pushing up onto his knees, Leo gathered his strength and surprised himself when he was able to stand.

Looking down at himself, his wounds had completely healed. He rotated his shoulder where the poison had once entered his system to wreak havoc upon his body but found that there was no longer any pain which resided there.

He frowned. "Huh, okay. That's weird."

Taking steps forward, Leo began to walk through the space, searching for a sign, in fact for anything which would tell him what to do or where he was meant to go.

Leo's steps were soundless. Looking down at his feet, he tried to drag them across the blackness beneath him but still no noise graced the space. Silently, he searched for what felt like hours, walking aimlessly through the dark until his limbs began to numb.

"I'm probably going in circles," Leo sighed. "Come on, just give me something. Anything…"

And just like that, as if the space had heard his plea, under his feet, the blackness began to vibrate.

Leo crouched and placed his hand against the darkness, indeed confirming the vibrations as they sent tiny pulses up his arm.

"Okay. What am I meant to do?"

As soon as the words left his lips, large bricks rose from beneath him, carrying him into the black sky, a gargantuan wall appearing from nothing.

"Whoa whoa," Leo startled, gripping onto the bricks as they hurtled him up into the abyss.

The giant wall rumbled to a halt, groaning as it slowed and finally settled. Leo clutched onto the wall, still in a crouched position and peered over the edge, only to regret his curiosity when his stomach churned at the sight of the blackness below him which now appeared to have no end.

Leo breathed, calming himself and sharpening his eyes but even with his heightened senses, he could only see an infinite blackhole below.

Unsettled, Leo turned his attention away from the abyss, instead choosing to study the stonework which he still clutched onto with his shaking fingers.

He knew the stones.

They were old and weathered, as if from architecture built long ago. Chips and cracks were mottled across the rough grey stone. Leo recognised every single one of them.

"You should know your own creation," a voice suddenly pierced the quiet, coming from behind him.

Leo whipped his head around, only to see an all too familiar silhouette sitting on the wall a few meters away. The darkness clung to the figure. A shiver shuddered down Leo's spine. He knew the figure, but something was very wrong with it. Fundamentally wrong.

The figure sat with his legs hanging over the side of the wall. His blue bandanna rested calmly against the back of his shell, completely still. His shoulders had a heavy hunch to them, as if the weight of the world were pressing down upon him.

Slowly, Leo released his vice grip that he had on the wall in order to stand unsteadily to his full height. To stabilize himself, Leo outstretched his arms to either side and took his first cautious steps, across the top of the wall, towards the figure which he refused to think of as himself.

His steps were slow and calculative. On any other day in New York, Leo would have been completely comfortable to be standing atop a high rise, but in this foreign place, he was cautious; somehow knowing that if he fell, he would fall for all eternity.

Carefully, Leo advanced towards the strange turtle and finally after closing the gap between them, the figure turned his head to face him. The shadows which had lingered around the figure's head cleared and what had made Leo initially uneasy was made all too clear.

The turtle's face was hollow, making his cheeks appear as sharp as razor blades. His skin was a sickly murky green, like that of sewer water. His carapace was flaking and cracked around the edges. Across his body, his muscle tone had wasted away leaving a weak frame of frail bones and skin. A sadness was etched into his face, like it had lingered there for years, weighing down his lips into a permanent grimace. Around his sunken eyes were dark circles and when he looked up, Leo recognised the pain in his eyes, as he had seen that same expression in the mirror so many times.

"You're me," Leo said knowingly, his voice ringing out into the dark.

The strange version of himself nodded solemnly, casting his eyes downwards.

Leo took a careful step forward and gestured to the blackness around him, waving his hand across the space. "So, this is my subconsciousness then?"

The turtle nodded.

"What happened to you?" Leo asked.

"That is the wrong question," the turtle replied.

Leo frowned. "I don't understand."

The turtle sighed and folded his legs underneath himself, gradually rising to stand, although once upright, his fragile legs began to tremble. His shoulders stooped and his breaths were ragged, as if standing had drained him of what little strength he had left. "I am what _will_ happen. I am your future, if you continue to travel down this path that you have set yourself."

"And what path is that?" Leo asked skeptically, hesitant to believe anything that the strange version of himself was saying.

"The path where you rebuild your fucking wall!" Fury flashed across the turtle's skeletal face and then disappeared as quickly as it had arrived, replaced once more by that same dark defeated expression. "The path where you lock out everyone who cares about you, despite them partially knowing about what you can do. You refuse their help and you refuse to let them in."

Leo shook his head. "I hurt people without the wall! Thoughts pour in and my telekinesis just responds. I can't control it!" With shame, Leo remembered the man in the warehouse. He remembered the pained look across the faces of his brothers after he had hurt Mikey and burnt the dojo almost to the ground. He felt his hands tremble. "I don't want to hurt anyone else."

The strange turtle's eyes grew darker. "And yet, you will. Continue down this path and you will hurt everyone you love."

"I don't believe you," Leo said. "You're just in my head."

"Then let me show you."

Before Leo could respond to the strange statement, the turtle took a swift step forward, closing the gap between them. Then, moving faster than what anyone in his condition should be able, the turtle spun and landed one hard kick square in Leo's chest.

With the impact, Leo staggered backwards and for a horrifying moment his feet grazed the air, finding nothing to step back onto.

And then he was falling.

* * *

Leo's scream was swallowed by the darkness.

Air pushed past him as he plummeted into the dark.

He fell, shell first, his limbs trailing behind him. His wall disappeared as he descended into the everlasting abyss, increasing in speed as he fell.

His blue bandanna whipped at his face and then was pulled free, slipping off his head with the force of wind blowing against it, to fly upwards whilst Leo continued to descend.

Desperately Leo reached out for the piece of cloth but his hands only scrambled through the air, catching nothing.

The bandanna was rapidly consumed by the void and for a moment there was only darkness before a brilliant flash of cerulean blue erupted across the space, as colossal ribbons of the cloth exploded forth, swirling towards Leo.

For a second the cloth danced about the darkness, simultaneously elegant and colossal.

It was almost peaceful.

And then the cloth was upon him.

Violently, four pieces wrapped around Leo's wrists and ankles, abruptly halting his descent and threatening to pop his joints out from their sockets. His neck snapped forward in whiplash but he didn't have the chance to struggle as across the remaining pieces of cloth which still flowed all around him, images suddenly appeared.

He saw himself, covered in blood, standing over a large brown shape which was curled in a ball on the floor, flesh and fur peeled back to expose bone. The bloodied version of himself collapsed to his knees in sorrow; a raw scream erupting from his throat whilst a waterfall of tears, mixed with the blood, cascaded down his face. Ever so gently, he cradled the head of the figure, and turned it so that the mangled face of his kill was revealed to Leo.

Leo gasped.

The eyes of his Sensei were wide and anguished as if he died screaming. His mouth was ajar with crimson blood dripping from his throat to coat his fur.

"NO!" Leo yelled in the dark. "I WOULD NEVER HURT HIM!"

The cloth rippled and Leo watched as the image changed to reveal the faces of his three younger brothers as they rushed into Master Splinter's room, their eyes wide and falling upon where Leo was holding his dead Sensei in his arms.

Flowing in the cloth, Raphael stepped forward. "Leo, what have you done?!" His voice cracked with a deep sorrow.

The image rippled as Leo turned to face them. "It was an accident! I didn't-"

The cloth rippled once more as Mikey ran forward, collapsing over Master Splinter, his hands not knowing where to touch and his face scrunched in utter sorrow. Sobs wracked his body as he buried his head in Master Splinter's bloodied chest and when he looked back up, there was actual hate in his eyes. "Get away from him!" he yelled towards Leo, shoving him in the chest.

In the dark, bound and with the images swirling around him, Leo's heart sunk deeper into his chest. "This can't be real," Leo whispered. He closed his eyes for a moment. "Please don't let this be real."

Leo slowly opened his eyes once more and what he saw, destroyed what remained of his heart.

In the cloth, the image rippled as sheer panic enveloped cloth Leo's face. His eyes dilated, appearing like an endless galaxy and he pressed his hands to his head, as if it were about to explode.

In the cloth, Raphael saw the signs, lunging forward with Sai drawn. "LEO! WAIT!"

But it was too late.

In the image Leo threw his head back. His mouth opened in a scream and his arms blasted outwards as an enormous pulse of telekinetic energy ripped from his gut before he collapsed, his torso crumbling forwards.

In the dark, Leo's vision blurred as tears pooled in his eyes.

He watched as Donnie ran forward, outstretching his arms towards Mikey but unsuccessfully reaching him before a large slab of cement smashed into Mikey's skull, burying him and Splinter beneath.

"Mikey!" Raphael screamed.

"NO!" Donnie yelled.

Together they reached towards the cement slab, desperate to pull it off from their already buried brother, but just as they gripped the debris a stomach sickening sound came from above. The sound of cracking concrete.

Donnie and Raphael locked eyes.

Donnie opened his mouth. "Raph-"

And then the whole roof gave way, burying the Hamato family deep under New York City.

* * *

"NOOOO!"

Leo screamed in the dark. "I'll never let that happen!"

His own voice answered back, coming from the dark. "You will have no choice in the matter. And do you want to know the pièce de résistance?

Unable to hold them back, silent tears streamlined down Leo's cheeks. "What?" he asked, his voice cracking.

There was a pause.

"You survive."

"What do you mean?" Leo asked.

"You survive the collapse of the Lair," the voice explained solemnly. "Even unconscious, your telekinesis keeps you safe from falling debris and then you spend the rest of your days alone and ashamed. You try to end it all, multiple times, but we already know how that turns out, don't we?"

Leo tightened his grip on the cloth that held him. "I kill them all?"

"Yes, but it doesn't have to be this way! All you need to do is…keep the wall down and listen."

"You have to give me more than that!" Leo pleaded.

No answer came. The space once more was eerily silent.

"COME ON!" Leo yelled. "Tell me how to save them!"

Leo's pleas remained unanswered. He hung in the silence, the cloth around his limbs cutting off circulation, numbing his hands and feet.

Although he wished for the images to be a trick of the brain, somehow, deep down, Leo knew that what he had been shown was indeed his future. He was going to kill everyone. What he feared the very most in the entire world was going to come to pass.

Unless he could stop it.

His family dying simply wasn't an option.

"Okay Leo," he whispered. "Just…listen. The voice, _my_ voice, said to listen."

Leo breathed, closing his eyes and withdrawing within himself. He searched for his centre; slowing himself down into a meditative state where his whole body was simultaneously calm and yet absolutely aware.

"Just breathe and listen," Leo breathed.

In his ears, he could hear the steady drum beat of his own heart.

And against his palms, he suddenly felt something wet as if his hands had been submerged. The water flowed up his arms and crept into his shell. He shivered, swiftly becoming aware that his whole body was cold.

"Leo? Pl-please wake up bro."

The poignant plea of Leo's youngest brother cut through the darkness.

Leo snapped his eyes open.

"MIKEY!" Leo yelled into the dark, ecstatic to hear the voice of his younger brother, especially considering that the last time he had seen him, Leo had hurtled him against a wall, breaking his leg.

"Mikey, where are you?!" Leo asked, his voice echoing.

"Dudes! I think he's waking up!" came Mikey's voice again.

Rushed footsteps echoed around the dark and then other voices joined the fray, bouncing and ringing around the darkness.

"Leo?" Donnie called from somewhere below. "Leo can you hear me?"

"Come on man!" Raph encouraged. "Mikey, what the shell happened?"

"I dunno! He just started twitching all funny and he said my name! He sounded…scared."

"I'M HERE GUYS!" Leo yelled.

Leo pulled against his restraints, thrashing his limbs in a feeble attempt to free himself. Around his wrists, he felt the binds tighten and cut into the skin to drip blood into the dark.

He had to get back to them.

He had to protect them.

He had to tell them…everything.

Rebuilding his wall and locking everyone out wasn't an option. Not anymore. Not if it meant that his family would die in result of his actions.

He just couldn't take that chance.

He had to make things right.

"Leo…come on dude…."

"Leo, you need to wake up."

"Please Leo…"

The voices of his brothers echoed up from far below him, emerging from the darkness and becoming clearer.

Leo arched his neck to look downwards into the dark; except it wasn't completely dark anymore. Far below, there were shapes of smoke shifting through the darkness. Leo squinted, focusing further on the shapes and engaging his heightened sight until slowly the bathroom of the Lair was revealed, with its mildly mouldy tiles and flickering light over a toothpaste stained mirror. The smoke dissipated and steadily the entire scene below was revealed.

His brothers were huddled around the bathtub where Leo saw himself, pale and half submerged in slightly browned water. He looked dead, his body too still and his eyes closed. There was a bandage wrapped around his shoulder, kept out of the water. But, to Leo, that didn't matter as more importantly a deep pang of guilt pierced through his gut as he noticed that Mikey's leg was in plaster. His younger brother sat awkwardly on a rickety wooden chair, trying harder to lean over the bath without falling in whilst Donnie and Raph knelt beside the porcelain tub.

Leo watched as Raphael reached out towards him in the bath.

With more tenderness than Leo thought possible from his hot-headed brother, Raphael cupped the side of Leo's face.

And with the touch, warmth radiated through Leo's cheek to the rest of his face. He leaned into the hand, knowing that it was there in the real world. The warmth travelled down Leo's neck and filled his shell.

He looked towards the cloth which remained wrapped around his hands. Reaching within himself, he breathed deeply and calmly. "I'll make this right," Leo promised. "The future can be changed. I'll change everything!"

Leo focused his mind on his restraints, imagining them unravelling.

There was a pull in his gut.

And the binds obeyed, loosening and then suddenly unwrapping, allowing him to fall as they receded back into the darkness as quickly as they had arrived.

Leo plummeted face first towards the bathroom scene below him.

"Whoa! WHOA!" Leo yelled, shielding his face as the bathtub rose fast to meet him.

Leo slammed into his own body.

* * *

In the bathtub, Leo flung himself upright, sending a tidal wave of dirty bathwater over the side of the porcelain to splash across the floor.

"LEO!" Mikey hollered in disbelief, barrelling into Leo's chest in a hug which almost suffocated him.

"Take it easy Mikey," Donnie warned, gently pulling him back.

"Bro…you with us?" Raphael asked from behind them.

Leo blinked as his eyes adjusted to the light but managed a nod as he stared up at his brothers.

"Oh my gosh," Mikey sighed. "Dude! You've been out for a week!"

"A week?!" Leo exclaimed, his voice a husky whisper.

Leo gripped the side of the bathtub, trying to find something to hold onto in order to pull himself up and out of the tub but his fingers were stiff and refused to close. His injured shoulder seared and his arms splashed uselessly back down into the water.

"Wait Leo," Raphael ordered sharply.

Leo snapped his attention towards Raphael. He had heard those words but in something that felt like a dream. Although, somehow, Leo knew that it had been real.

Leo watched silently as Raph climbed over the side of the bath to stand behind him. Leo turned his head to study him. He looked tired, with circles under his eyes.

"Here - let us help you," Donnie said, offering a hand towards him.

Leo looked at his brother's hand.

This was the choice.

He had to let them in, now and forever.

Gratefully, Leo outstretched his own hand and his fingers interlocked with Donnie's. Behind him, Raph wrapped his own hands under Leo's arm pits.

"Okay ready?" Raph asked.

"Yeah. Get me outta here," Leo replied.

Together, Leo was lifted to his feet by his brothers but once standing a sense of vertigo hit him. He swayed in the tub and would have fallen back into the water if his brother hadn't still been holding him steady.

"Just focus on me dude," Mikey coached from the other side of the tub, with a makeshift crutch under one of his arms.

Leo shifted his eyes onto his youngest brother and a fresh wave of guilt hit him.

"Mikey," Leo breathed. "I'm so sorry."

Leo was surprised when his orange banded brother gave him a wide toothy grin.

"Doesn't hurt that bad," Mikey replied. "You can help me scratch it though! I've got this itch, like down near my ankle and I think I've almost perfected a scratchy pole to get to it."

Leo didn't miss the frown that Donnie shot towards his younger brother.

"Mikey! I told you – no scratching!" Donnie huffed. "You'll mess up my cast."

"But Donn-nniieeee, it's really itchy!"

"Hate to interrupt," Raph interjected, annoyance in his voice. "But can we focus on getting Leo out of here? This room is super nasty."

"Feeling okay Leo?" Donnie asked.

Again, Leo managed a nod. "Yeah, let's go."

With his brothers by his side and supporting more of his weight than what Leo cared to admit, Leo found himself being pulled out of the bathtub and lead through the door. Mikey trailed behind them, the sound of his crutch against the floor piercing the silence of the Lair with each step he took.

Outside, the Lair was dimly lit. An old episode of Space Heroes was playing on the TV. Leo recognised it immediately as the episode where Captain Ryan saved the universe by traversing through a seamlessly endless blackhole.

Leo smiled.

It was almost ironic.

"Where to?" Raphael asked from beside him.

"The living room," Leo requested.

Slowly, Leo was guided through the Lair and to the couch. With his brothers by his side, Leo found himself being lowered gently down onto the cushions. Mikey sat closely by him, clumsily propping his casted leg out to the side and leaning his crutch against the couch.

"Can you go fetch Master Splinter?" Leo asked Donatello.

His purple banded brother nodded shortly before turning to walk towards their Sensei's room.

Raphael shoved himself into a bean bag near to the television, beans cascading from a small tear to spill over the floor.

"Leonardo, my son."

Master Splinter's voice soothing came from behind him before his Sensei walked into view, his eyes soft with compassion and his whiskers twitching.

Leo sucked in a breath, his heart jumping into his throat as his Sensei looked so…alive.

Only moments ago, his Sensei had been shown to Leo slaughtered, brutally butchered in an image of the future.

"Are you alright, my son?" Master Splinter asked, coming to kneel by his side. "Donatello, has the antidote worked?"

"Y-yes Sensei," Leo replied. "It's just really good to see you. To see all of you."

Leo scanned the faces of his family and as he did, their thoughts entered his brain as if his abilities had woken up from a slumber and had suddenly caught up with his body. The onslaught of thoughts was violent, thoughts suddenly clashing in his brain, colliding into one another and becoming so painfully loud.

He felt the tension in his gut build.

He squeezed his eyes shut.

Without his wall, Leo had no control.

A dread filled him.

"Leo…Leo…you okay?"

"Tell us what's wrong…"

"Breathe Leonardo. Remember your training my Son. Breathe…"

"Focus on my voice Leo."

The voices of his brothers and father were around him but it was difficult to differentiate between them and the thoughts which reverberated in Leo's own head.

"Everyone quiet!" Raphael barked. Then quieter, in a hushed voice Leo heard his brother's calm plea. "Come on Leo…just focus on me. Come on…"

Leo opened his eyes to slits, blinking through mostly closed lids.

Raph was directly in front of him, still talking in a hushed whisper. "I don't know what's going on with you man, but we're gonna figure it out. Just like we always do. You gotta work with me here. Just focus…"

Leo nodded, letting air pass through his lips in a breath that he had not been aware that he was holding.

He focused on just his brother's mouth as he continued to speak to him and slowly the thoughts in his head subsided, becoming whispers before dispersing altogether.

Raphael gripped him by the shoulders. "Okay?"

Leo nodded. "Okay."

Leo continued to breathe whilst Raphael settled on the couch, twisting his arm through Leo's as if they were brother's in battle.

Leo looked towards each member of his family. No thoughts invaded his mind.

It was time for the truth.

He opened his mouth and began to tell his story from the very beginning.

**To be Continued…**

* * *

Please remember to review! Thank you and stay safe everyone!


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